Zack and Kimi's Christmas Collage
by celrock
Summary: Drabbles of the first 25 Christmases that Zack and Kimi spent together. Inspired by a similar story that was released last Christmas by somebody named RosieCheeks101, where she looked at Christmases that Chuckie and Angelica spent together, between the end of Rugrats and 25 years later.
1. The Mitheltoe

Author's Note: The bad news? I'm home sick with a cold. The good news? My professor is also sick, so I'm not missing school, plus, you fans get something a few hours earlier than originally intended for release, thanks to being stuck on the futon with a stuffy nose. Didn't wanna go back to bed without forgetting to post the first chapter of this, as promised that I'd release the start of this story on December 1, and, well, since the day is here, let's get started with what might possibly be the only Christmas story to hit Rugrats Fan Fiction this year sadly.

Zack and Kimi's Christmas Collage

Summary: Drabbles of the first 25 Christmases that Zack and Kimi spent together. Inspired by a similar story that was released last Christmas by somebody named RosieCheeks101, where she looked at Christmases that Chuckie and Angelica spent together, between the end of Rugrats and 25 years later.

Disclaimer: I do not own the original Rugrats characters, they're the property of their original creaters. I own Zack and his aunty Celeste, along with any OC's you don't recognize, while Peter is owned by TCKing12, and Rosie is owned by Nairobi-harper. Any other characters that get introduced in future chapters, I'll give credit for in the author's notes at the start or end of the chapter.

Chapter 1, The Mitheltoe

Kimi was sitting on her training potty in the bathroom at Peter's castle. She was so determined to get this potty training thing down before Christmas, as she was two-years-old, and didn't wish to be in diapers forever. While ordinarily, it would be a crime to not give a kid their privacy, Zack was standing in the bathroom, keeping Kimi entertained, by doing a little dance, as she watched his every move. Finally, Zack did a back flip on the floor, which caused Kimi to laugh. In turn, her laughter caused her to have to go to the bathroom really bad, and because she was sitting on the potty, she went where she was suppose to go. Pleased by her accomplishment, after she was finished, she jumped up from the potty with a smile on her face, running over to Zack, where she toppled on to the floor on top of him, and gave him a big hug.

"Thanks Zack, you're the bestest." Said Kimi.

Zack blushed and smiled.

"Awe, it's no problem. And just think, I gotted you potty trained, and I myself, am still in diapies." Said Zack, as he returned the hug.

It was true, Zack was only fourteen-months-old, and a good several months away from being potty trained, even though he longed to be more like the bulk of his friends, all of which, were either potty trained, or coming close to being done so in the near future.

After Kimi washed her hands, they headed back out to the living room where the party was happening.

"I have something I wanna show you." Said Kimi, as she sat Zack down on the floor off to the side, unknown to either one of the toddlers, they were sitting beneath some mitheltoe.

"Uh, ok, I'll wait right here." Said Zack, as Kimi ran off and got what she wanted to show him.

A few minutes later, she returned carrying a zylophone, the same one she had received as a present at Christmas Land the previous year.

"This is my soprano glockenspiel. I gotted it lastest Christmas." Said Kimi, as she sat on the floor across from Zack and started hitting the keys with the mallet.

"Actually Kimi, it's called a xylophone, but keep going, you're doing great!" Said Zack, as Kimi looked up at him, blushing and smiling.

She played Jingle Bells for him on her xylophone. When it was finished, Zack applauded.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Said Zack, as he stood up, giving Kimi a standing ovation.

Kimi just stood there, smiling, unable to take her eyes off of the blond.

"So, you gotted that lastest year?" Zack asked.

"Yep, at Christmas Land." Kimi replied.

"Wow! There's a place called Christmas land? Tell me more!" Zack pleaded.

"Well, Angelica toldid Tommy that if Dil didn't get a good present his firstest Christmas, he'd never celebrate Christmas ever again. So we went through Christmas Land to look for Santa's workshop where we ran into a mousy king, and a little ballerina girl, and helped a baby in the middle of a cold petting zoo get warm with our clothes. Then Angelica showed up, and gave me my soprano glockenspiel, uh, I mean, xylophone." Explained Kimi, as she sat down, and played another tune for Zack.

This time, she played Deck the Halls, while Zack couldn't help but think to himself.

" _If I had been with the gang lastest year at Christmas, I would have sent Angelica in the direction of Mount Crumpnick, in hopes she'd get a taste of her own medicine from the Grinch._ " Zack thought to himself, as he listened intently to Kimi's xylophone playing.

Then, he caught Dil playing out of the corner of his eye. The one-year-old baby was perfectly content, with three-year-old Chuckie at his side, as they built a tower of blocks together. Then, he turned his attention back to Kimi.

"You know what Kimi?" Zack asked.

"No, what?" Kimi asked.

"I'm pretty sure Angelica was making that stuff up. I mean, even if you guys had the worstest time of your lives at Christmas Land, Dil would still get another Christmas, and, thanks to a set of blocks and your big brother, he's having a pretty good second Christmas." Said Zack.

Kimi smiled and nodded in agreement, as she started playing another song on her xylophone for Zack. This time, she started to play The Twelve Days of Christmas, but was barely up to Five Gold Rings, when Angelica rudely interrupted the performance.

"And just what are you babies doing?" Angelica asked.

Zack looked up, annoyed, as he stared into the face of the four-year-old blond.

"Uh, Kimi was playing some nice music for me." Zack replied.

He'd just assume ignore the blond, but since it was Christmas Eve, he didn't think that would be very nice.

"And I'm spreading a little Christmas cheer." Said Kimi.

"Well, you two are forgetting one thing." Said Angelica.

"What Angelica?" Kimi asked.

"Don't you two know what you're sitting under neath?" Angelica asked, pointing to the hanging mitheltoe that was above them.

Kimi looked in the direction where Angelica was pointing.

"That's just green stuff that Peter hung to decorate his castle for Christmas Angelica." Said Kimi.

"Yeah, it's green stuff for decoration." Added Zack, agreeing with his friend.

"You two are hopeless. That stuff is mitheltoe, and you know what that means." Said Angelica.

"That's not a toe Angelica, that's just green decorations." Said Kimi.

"Of course it's mitheltoe." Said Angelica.

"It doesn't look like a toe to me. And where's the foot?" Kimi asked.

"Wrong kind of toe Kimi, and anyway, what do you mean Angelica? Another one of your lies to get us thinking dumb stuff again?" Zack asked.

"Of course not. Why would I lie to you?" Angelica asked.

Zack rolled his eyes, and he and Kimi exchanged glances before turning their attention back to Angelica.

"What?" Zack and Kimi asked in unison.

"It means you've gotta kiss." Angelica replied.

"Huh?" Kimi asked, a look of confusion crossing her face.

"Don't you babies know anything? When a boy and a girl are under neath the mitheltoe, you're spose to kiss! And if you do, you'll spend every single Christmas together forever. If you don't, you'll be sad and miserable forever. So you'd better kiss or else." Said Angelica.

"I don't believe you Angelica." Said Zack.

Kimi just smiled at Zack, eager to give it a try.

"Come on Zachary, let's give it a try." Said Kimi eagerly.

"You really believe her?" Zack asked, rolling his eyes.

"Of course! Now come on Zachary!" Said Kimi encouragingly, as the two toddlers were about to lean in and kiss one another, when Harold, who was at the party, bumped into Angelica.

" _I love it when Kimi calls me Zachary._ " Zack thought to himself at that moment.

The blond turned around to find her clumsy red headed chubby friend behind her.

"So, guess you'll be kissing me under the mitheltoe when they're done, huh Angelica?" Harold asked.

"Not a chance." Snapped Angelica, as she knocked into Harold, who tripped over his untied shoelaces and fell into a refreshment table, sending its contents to the floor.

The loud crash startled the other adults in the room, as they went over to see what was happening, while Harold crawled on the floor, picking up spilled cheese sticks, eating like a dog. Noticing everyone's backs were turned, Zack turned his attention back to Kimi.

"Quick, let's do this while nobody's looking." Whispered Zack into Kimi's ear.

The two-year-old Japanese girl reached in, and gave Zack a slobbery kiss on the cheek. As she stood back, she blushed and smiled. Ordinarily, Zack would have found the slobber on his cheek disgusting, but rather, he just started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Kimi asked.

"We are." Said Zack, as he laughed, the drool dripping off his cheek on to his shirt.

Unknown to either one of them right then, Tommy, who was passing by, carrying the camera he had gotten the previous Christmas, was stopped by Angelica, who snatched the camera out of his hand when he wasn't looking, saw Zack and Kimi kissing under the mitheltoe, and snapped a picture. Peter oversaw this, and took the camera from Angelica, where he handed it back to Tommy, who tried to take a picture, but the camera was out of film. So he handed it to Peter, who took it to a secret dark room on another floor, and developed the film. After he got two copies of the picture, he quietly snuck back downstairs to the party, where he snuck the pictures into the stockings labeled for Kimi and Zack.

" _Just spreading a little Christmas cheer._ " Peter thought to himself, as he stuck the pictures into the stockings, and gave Tommy back his camera, where the two-year-old went and got a picture of Harold crawling around on the floor with a chee stick sticking out of his mouth.

Once the mess was cleaned up and the two-year-old purple haired popperachi ran out of film for a second time that night, everybody sat down and Peter handed out the stockings to each kid, where they opened up their presents. Zack and Kimi pulled out the first thing in their stockings, surprised at what they saw. A mystery picture taken just minutes ago, of the two of them kissing under the mitheltoe.

They stared at a while at their pictures, then at one another, and then, back at the pictures again.

" _Don't know how this picture gotted taken, but I'll remember this magical Christmas forever. It's not every baby who gets kissed under the mitheltoe at fourteen-months-old. Merry Christmas Kimi._ " Zack thought to himself, as he stared at his copy of the picture and smiled.

" _This was the bestest Christmas ever! Even betterer than my firstest Christmas outside of Paris at Christmas Land, my second Christmas was even betterer, thanks to the one, the only, Zachary! I'll member this magical Christmas forever!_ " Kimi thought to herself, as she too, smiled, and stared at her copy of the picture.

And this, ends chapter 1.

Author's Note: So there you have it. The first Christmas that Zack and Kimi spent together. Likewise, you'll see twenty-four more Christmas focused around this couple, and I'll post one chapter a day in this story, until Christmas day of course, though the final two chapters of this story may appear on Christmas Eve, since I'm not usually around on Christmas day itself, to post to Fan Fiction. Hope you enjoyed it, and, more, will be coming soon! And if I feel better later on today, maybe I'll post another unexpected surprise, time will tell.


	2. Chicken Pops, Again

Author's Note: Another chapter, getting posted earlier than ordinarily expected on a school day. The reason this time? Today's professor injured herself, having to cancel class. Fine by me, since now, I've got a soar throat with this cold, and while my apartment is typically cold at this time of year, it feels worse with being sick, as I huddle beneath the blankets once again with wireless devices to type out another chapter. Yet though, I think after you read this chapter, my cold will seem like nothing compared to what happens to our main characters, their second Christmas together. Without further a due, let's get started.

Chapter 2, Chicken Pops, Again

Two-year-old Zack lay in bed, trying to keep from scratching the little red dots that covered his body.

"They're itching like crazy! But aunty said not to scratch. I'm not gonna scratch, I'm not gonna scratch. I'm! Not! Gonna! Scratch!" Zack cried in frustration, as he tried to find something to distract himself from the itchy bumps.

Then, he pulled open one of his dresser drawers and pulled out a picture. It was the picture of him and Kimi kissing under the mitheltoe, that was taken at the previous year's Christmas party. As he stared longingly at the photograph, realizing that it was once again, Christmas Eve, he wished at that moment to be with Kimi again. He and his aunt were invited to that year's Christmas party, which was being hosted by the Finsters at the Java Lava, but they had to miss it, on account of Zack coming down with the Chicken Pox. In fact, he fell ill the pprevious day, having to miss the performance of the Christmas pagent at preschool. Luckily, his teacher Miss Weamer, had given Tommy the part of Wise Man understudy, in the event Zack couldn't fulfill the part, and it's a good thing she did. Yet though, the pagent was the last thing on his mind at that moment. He was more upset about having to miss out on another Christmas party with Kimi, and would do anything to be with her at that very moment. Little did he know his prayers would soon be answered.

A few minutes later, aunty Celeste came into the room to apply some more calamine lotion to his chicken pox.

"Hi Zachary, how are you feeling sweetheart?" Celeste asked, as she walked over to the side of his bed.

"I'm all itchy." Zack replied with a disappointed sigh.

"Well, I have something here that should help." Said Celeste, as she started applying the calamine lotion to the itchy bumps that covered his face and arms.

She was about to have Zack take off his pajama top, when her cell phone wrang.

"Let me get that." Said Celeste, as she set the bottle of calamine lotion down on the dresser and answered the call.

"Hello." Said Celeste into the phone.

A few minutes of silence passed as the voice on the opposite end of the phone spoke.

"Awe, I'm sorry to hear this." Said Celeste into the phone, before a few more minutes of silence passed.

"Sure Kira, if you think they can stay out of everyone's way, I guess we can come." Said Celeste into the phone.

Upon hearing Kira's name, Zack knew instantly who his aunt was talking to. Kimi's mommy. Would he get to see Kimi this Christmas after all?

"We'll be right over." Said Celeste into the phone, as she hung it up.

Celeste turned to Zack with a smile.

"Let's get dressed sweetie, we're going to the party." Said Celeste.

Zack just stared at his aunt in shock.

"But, I'm sick with the chicken pops. I thought I couldn't go nowhere." Zack replied.

"Ordinarily, you can't, but one of your playmates needs some company. After all, that's what this holiday is all about. Now come on sweetie, let's go." Said Celeste, as Zack got out of bed, put on a red Christmas sweat shirt with Santa Clause on the front, a pair of dark blue sweat pants, and the brown sneakers he received as an early Christmas present from his maternal grandparents.

It was shipped all the way from Wheeling, West Virginia, and he opened it the day it arrived, being very excited to receive this gift. Soon, he and his aunty were off in her driverless van to the Finsters' house.

" _The party isn't taking place at the Java Lava? Hmmm, I wonder what's wrong?_ " Zack thought to himself, as his aunty turned into the driveway.

They got out of the van and walked up to the door, where a Christmas wreath was hanging. Celeste wrang the doorbell and Kira answered, wearing a pretty dark green and sparkly Christmas sweater.

"Hello Celeste and Zachary, Merry Christmas." Said Kira, as she led them into the house.

"Merry Christmas." Said Celeste.

"Kimi is in the living room." Said Kira.

Zack didn't waste another moment to hear what else Kira had to say. He rushed past happy partying guests until he ran into the living room, where he found Kimi on the couch, huddled beneath a pink Dummi Bears blanket. The only thing sticking out from the covers was her hands and face, and he only had to look for two seconds to see what was going on. It appeared that Zack wasn't the only one to have Chicken Pox this Christmas. Kimi too, was also covered in little red bumps.

"Hi Kimi." Said Zack, as he took a seat on the end of the couch.

Kimi sat up, looked over at Zack, and gave him a small smile.

"Hi Zack." Kimi replied.

"You gots the Chicken Pops too?" Zack asked.

"Uh huh. I'm all itchy." Kimi cried.

"Me too. That's why I wasn't at the pagent yesterday." Zack replied.

"I was at the pagent yesterday, and Tommy did a great job as the wise man. Well, the bestest job he could, seeing he thought an understudy didn't have to learn the part. We all felt bad you were sick. I didn't get sick till this morning. That's when mommy and daddy moved the party to our house." Kimi explained, as she started scratching one of her arms.

"But what about our friends? Aren't you worried we might give them the chicken pops?" Zack asked worriedly.

"My brother already had them. So have Tommy, Phil, Lil, Angelica and Susie. And my brother tells me that at first when he had them, he was covered in feathers, and thought he was turning into a chicken too, until Susie told him and and our other friends the truth." Explained Kimi.

Zack rolled his eyes, as a thought came to him.

"Why do I have this feeling that Angelica is the reason to blame for Chuckie's thinking he was turning into a chicken when he had Chicken Pops? She probably covered him in feathers too, to make her lie sound more believable." Said Zack.

"I don't know. Chuckie never said, but it's possible. Angelica's always playing games." Said Kimi.

"Well, not to worry. Once we're over it, my aunty tells me we can never get it again. So where are our friends?" Zack asked.

"They can't play with us Zack." Kimi replied with a sad sigh.

"How come?" Zack asked.

"Because Dil hasn't gotted the Chicken Pops yet, so Tommy and the others are doing everything possible, to keep him away." Kimi replied.

"Oh." Said Zack disappointingly, as he stared down at the floor.

"Don't be sad Zachary, at least we've gots each other." Said Kimi with a smile.

Zack turned his gaze towards Kimi, and smiled. It was true, he did get to be with the one person he wanted to be with most of all that holiday season, his three-year-old Japanese friend and preschool playmate, even if they were sick and itchy, they could keep one another company on this Christmas eve night.

Just then, Peter, Charlotte, Kira and Celeste returned to the living room to check on the chicken pox twins.

"Hey Kimi and Zack, I hear you two are sick with the Chicken Pox." Said Peter.

"Yeah, we are." Kimi replied.

"Kimi tells me that Chuckie already had the Chicken Pops, and thought he was turning into a chicken. I'm curious, did Angelica have something to do with it? And did she cover him in feathers?" Zack asked.

"Well, Angelica did tell Tommy, Phil and Lil that Chuckie was turning into a chicken. However, you'd be surprised. She never covered him in feathers herself. A pillow came apart and thanks to Calamine lotion, the feathers got stuck all over Chuckie, making him look like a chicken. Soon, Tommy, Phil and Lil started breaking out, and when Susie and Lucy arrived, as we were all heading to a picnic for Charlotte's work, she explained the truth to the babies, that they weren't turning into chickens after all. Of course, naturally, I tried to tell the babies that Angelica was lying as usual, but they dismissed me like I know nothing. It took Susie's explanation to convince them otherwise." Explained Peter.

"And Dil never caught it?" Kimi asked.

"Nope, this happened before Dil was born, but after I met the rest of our friends." Peter replied.

"Oh yes, I kept coming up with every possible excuse to skip my company picnic, until Angelica and I arrived. I found her in the back seat of the car, covered in little red bumps. So we went home, where you, Peter, convinced me otherwise. So despite my little girl being sick, I ended up going to that picnic." Said Charlotte.

"Yeah, sorry, but I didn't think it was right for you to not be present at your own company picnic, so I offered to watch Angelica while you attended it." Said Peter.

"And I thank you." Said Charlotte with a smile, as she and Peter left the room, and Celeste and Kira approached the couch.

Kira was carrying a bottle of Calamine lotion, while Celeste handed Zack a package wrapped in green and blue paper with a shiny red bow on top.

"Wow! A Christmas present?" Zack asked in excitement.

"Go ahead sweetie, open it." Celeste replied with a smile, as Zack ripped the paper off his Christmas present.

It was the traditional DVD that his aunt gave him every year. Last year, she gave him his first Sherry Berry DVD, Sing a Song of Spring, and this year, judging from the cover of the box showing a picture of Reptar dressed in a Santa suit, it was the all new Reptar movie, Reptar Saves Christmas, where Reptar must go under cover as Santa Clause, when the real Santa Clause is captured by Robosnails and is sent back to his home planet, over taken by aliens, that are about to make him their dinner, if Reptar doesn't come rescue him before it's too late.

"Oh my gosh! It's the new Reptar Christmas movie! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you Aunty Celeste! You're the greatest!" Zack squealed in excitement.

"You're welcome sweetie." Said Celeste, as she went over to the DVD player, and put on the movie, while Kira was about to start applying some Calamine lotion to the two toddlers, when Chaz called her and Celeste's names from the other room.

"Could Kira and Celeste come in here please? I seem to be having a bit of trouble with the blender to make up the Finster Finster eggnog." Called Chaz from the kitchen.

"We'll be right there." Kira called back, just as she set down the Calamine lotion on the coffee table, and she and Celeste headed to the kitchen to help Chaz.

By this time, the previews on the DVD were playing, as Zack was doing all he could to keep from scratching his itchy spots.

"Are you ok Zachary?" Kimi asked.

"No, I'm all itchy." Zack replied.

Without saying a word, Kimi hopped down from the couch and ran over to the coffee table, where she picked up the bottle of Calamine lotion. She brought it back over to the couch, and sat back down next to Zack.

"Where does it itch the most?" Kimi asked.

"My tummy." Zack replied, as he lifted up his Christmas sweat shirt, and Kimi started applying the Calamine lotion to his stomach.

"I hear ya, my tummy itches too, but it really itches on my back, and, I can't reach it to scratch it!" Kimi cried in frustration.

Soon, the two of them were applying lotion to one another, making a huge mess in the process, as they managed to get Calamine lotion all over the couch, and Zack left a few Calamine lotion footprints on the carpet, when he ran up to the TV to grab the remote for the DVD player, to start the movie playing, as the previews had finished, and the main menu was on the screen.

He returned to the couch, started the movie, and the Chicken Pox couple snuggled up together, as they watched the movie, falling asleep on one another's shoulders by the end. Later, as the party was starting to wind down, Kira came back into the room to check on Kimi and Zack, when she found them curled up on the couch, the room covered in Calamine lotion, and the two toddlers, curled up asleep in one another's arms. The sight was too cute to be angry at. If anything, it deserved to be treasured. So Kira ran off and returned with her camera, where she took a picture of the sleeping couple.

"Merry Christmas." Kira whispered, after snapping the picture, as she placed the pink Dummi Bears blanket over the two sleeping toddlers, blew them a kiss, and left the living room to go help Peter and the other adults, clean up from the Christmas party.

And this, ends chapter 2.

Author's Note: So, as you can see, Chicken Pox aren't any fun, and they're far worse than this cold that has plagued me as of late. I do remember having the Chicken Pox at age five, and believe me, they weren't any fun! I luckily, didn't have them at Christmas, though that same year, I did get sick with a tummy bug at Christmas. Yeah, let's just say when I was five, the world of health wasn't all that good to me. Also, the events that Peter and Kimi were talking about with Chuckie and the other Rugrats did take place in a Rugrats episode from season 4 entitled Chicken Pops, where those events they explained, did happen. Well, all except for the part about Peter watching Angelica, while Charlotte went to the picnic. Obviously, that part happened post the conclusion of the episode, but if you watch the very end of the episode, you know how that event came to be, had Peter been in that particular Rugrats episode. Also, while we saw here Zack and Kimi's experience with Chicken Pox, it was stated that Dil was the only one at this point to still have yet to catch them. However, as stated in the All Grown Up episode from season 5, All Broke Up, Dil still hadn't had Chicken Pox come kindergarten. Thus, if Dil ever had the Chicken Pox, he had it later in elementary school, or, possibly got Shingles as an adult, which is the equivalent to Chicken Pox, only much worse, and very painful. Hmmm, could make for an interesting fan fic, but will save it for another day, provided another author reading this story, doesn't beat me to releasing that one. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and, more shall come tomorrow.


	3. Small Things and Sick Souls

Author's Note: First of all, it's hard to believe that as of today, December 3, 2015, I've been on Fan Fiction for a year and a half. My how time flies! And I'm gonna see if I possibly can pull it off, to have 140 stories completed on my profile come Christmas day. As you can probably guess at the time I am getting this chapter posted, I did indeed, have school today, amongst other things that were going on. And after finding out the unpleasant news that I'll have to go to school on my birthday, it's sort of, left me in kind of a bitter mood the rest of the day. Here's hoping writing this chapter, will help me to feel better. Without further a due, let's get on with it.

Chapter 3, Small Things and Sick Souls

Zack was sitting on the living room floor of his apartment, watching the complete series of Super Why on DVD, that his aunt had given him as an early Christmas present earlier that day, as it was Christmas eve once again. In the distance though, he could hear his poor aunt Celeste, coughing and sneezing, as she lay in bed in her room down the hall, trying to recover from the Flu. This in turn, resulted in them having to miss the Christmas party again, and sadly, because anybody can catch Influenza, they wouldn't be able to go this year. While Zack was enjoying his private Super Why marathon, he was kind of down about having to skip the party, and even if he could only see Kimi for five minutes, it would make his day.

Meanwhile, Kimi and Kira were at the grocery store, when the four-year-old Japanese girl got an idea.

"Mommy, do you think we could stop by Zachary's place on the way to the Christmas party at Tommy and Dil's house? I could give Zack my Christmas present, and why don't we get something to help his aunt feel better." Kimi suggested to her mother, as they were walking down the soup isle.

"That's a great idea Kimi Chan. And this can of chicken noodle soup ought to help Celeste feel all better." Said Kira with a smile, as she patted the top of her daughter's head, and put a can of chicken noodle soup in the cart.

Then, they went by the flower department, where they got a small bouquet of pink carnations, paid for the groceries, and headed for Zack's apartment.

The Christmas party tradition was decided on after what all went down three years ago, the Christmas party to end all Christmas parties, at Charlotte and Stu's creation known as Christmas Land. After that disasterous event, thanks to a malfunctioning snow machine, amongst other things, Peter proposed an idea. From now on, they'd have a Christmas party, where all of their friends would be invited, and the following year, Peter came up with a clever idea on determining who would host the following year's party. Naturally, he hosted the first one, where he made a fruit cake, but going by the tradition that's typically done with a king cake at Mardi Gras, he hid a plastic baby Jesus inside the fruit cake. Whoever got the piece with the baby in it, would host the next year's Christmas party. At Peter's party, Chaz got the piece with the baby in it, and after their daughter coming down with Chicken Pox the next year, it was a good thing they were the hosts, allowing Kimi to rest without having to leave the house, while everyone else partied, except for Zack, who cooencidentally, had Chicken Pox right along with her, allowing Kimi to have some company.

Unknown to the Chicken Pox twins, at dessert that year, Stu got the piece of fruit cake with the baby in it, and nearly choked on the thing. Betty ended up having to perform the heimlick remover on the inventor, and while Betty tried to argue that she should host next year's party because she saved Stu's life, Peter wasn't about to have the rules broken. The baby was in Stu's piece of cake, therefore, it would be Stu and Didi's turn to host the party the following year, and this, was their year.

As Kira and Kimi were heading to the Wehrenberg's, it suddenly hit her that Zack and Celeste wouldn't get pieces of fruit cake this year. So they stopped by the Pickles, where Peter had just arrived, as he made the fruit cake every year, despite who was hosting the party, and asked to take a couple of pieces to Celeste and Zack's. Peter cut a couple of slices of cake, and they were once again, headed for Zack's apartment.

Meanwhile, Zack was about to put on another DVD of Super Why, when he heard the doorbell ring.

"Could you get that sweetie?" Celeste called from her bedroom in between coughs.

"Sure Aunty Celeste." Zack replied, as he went to the door.

He peered through the window next to the door, and couldn't believe who he saw. To his pleasant surprise, it was Kimi and Kira on his doorstep. Overly excited, he threw open the door to see Kira holding a shopping bag and a bouquet of flowers, while Kimi held out a red and green gift bag, which she handed to Zack.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Said Kimi with a smile, as Zack took the gift bag from her.

"Thank you Kimi." Zack replied, as he went and put the bag on the couch.

"Can we come in for a minute?" Kira asked.

"Sure." Zack replied, as he led them into the kitchen.

"We wanted to bring something to make you and your aunty feel better." Said Kimi, as Kira set the flowers down on the table, and emptied the contents of the shopping bag on the kitchen counter.

"We brought some soup and two slices of Peter's fruit cake for you and your aunt to enjoy." Said Kira.

"Awe, thanks! My aunty will be so happy!" Said Zack with a smile, as he gave Kira and Kimi a hug.

Then, he remembered that he had a gift for Kimi.

"I'll be right back." Said Zack, as he ran off to his room and returned a minute later with a small box wrapped in dark green paper.

He handed the box to Kimi, who opened the box. Inside, was a keychain of Super Thing.

"Oooh! Super Thing, my favoritest!" Kimi said excitedly.

"Uh huh. Now you can put it on your backpack, and have him with you always, even at preschool." Zack replied.

"Thank you!" Kimi replied with a smile.

"You're welcome." Said Zack, as he blushed and smiled back.

"Well, we'd better be going. Tell your aunt Celeste I hope she feels better soon, and may you both, have a very Merry Christmas." Said Kira, as she patted the top of Zack's head.

"I will." Said Zack, as he led Kimi and Kira to the door.

Once they were gone, Zack sat down on the couch. He was about to return to watching Super Why, when he noticed the red and green gift bag from Kimi. While he meant to open it while they were there, he could tell they didn't want to stay too long, as his aunt's illness was contagious, so he didn't make a fuss. If anything, as long as he saw Kimi open her gift, that's all that mattered. Then, he had an idea. Ordinarily, his aunt wouldn't like him playing with her iPhone, but he figured there was an acception to the rule. After all, it was Christmas, and it wasn't fair that Kimi didn't get to see Zack open his gift from her. He ran to his aunt's room, where he found the phone plugged into the charger on her bed side table. Luckily, she was asleep, so hopefully, she wouldn't notice. Then, he quietly tip toed back to the living room, where he went into the video app on the phone, turned on the front facing camera, and set the phone down on the coffee table.

Once it was set up and recording, he sat down on the couch, and began his short video.

"Hi Kimi, it's Zachary. I hope you enjoy your Super Thing keychain, and thank you for bringing my aunt a get well present. That was very sweet of you. However, I didn't get to open my gift. So, here I go." Said Zack, as he proceeded to open the bag.

The first thing he pulled out, was a home made card on a piece of white construction paper. It had scribbled writing on it done in red crayon, which definitely had to be done by Kimi herself, as the card read Mary Krismas Zackary, Your Friend, Kimi. Zack didn't care that half the words on the card were misspelled, he thought it was sweet, and a good try, as while Kimi was older than him, she wasn't nearly as up to speed on writing and spelling as he was, as they were still in preschool, and wouldn't really fine tune this skill until they entered kindergarten the following year.

Then, he found one other item in the bag. It was wrapped in white tissue paper. He unwrapped the tissue paper to reveal a white mug with the Super Why characters on it, and inside the mug, were a bunch of Lent Chocolate's snowmen.

"Thank you Kimi, you're the bestest. Merry Christmas." Said Zack with a smile, as he held the mug full of candy up to the camera, before stopping the video and sending it to Kira's phone via the video text messenging feature.

Luckily, Zack knew how to read, and could find Kira's name in the contact list, so it went to the right phone. No sooner had he sent off the message, when his aunt walked into the room.

"Who was at the door Zack?" Celeste asked, as she took a seat on the couch.

"Aunty Celeste, please, don't be mad at me. It was Kimi and Kira. They stopped by to give me my Christmas present and a care package for you. They had to leave, so I borrowed your phone to make a video for Kimi of me opening her gift." Explained Zack.

"Oh, I could never be mad at you. You wanted Kimi to see you open her gift, and it was very thoughtful of them to think of me. Come on, let's go have some dinner. I'm not very hungry, but if I don't eat something, I'll never get better." Said Celeste, as she and Zack headed into the kitchen.

Roughly half an hour later, the two of them were sitting at the kitchen table, sharing the can of chicken noodle soup, and after dinner, they had their pieces of fruit cake for dessert. No sooner had Celeste taken her first bite of cake, when she spit something out of her mouth.

"What's wrong Aunty Celeste?" Zack asked, when Celeste opened her hand to reveal a small plastic baby Jesus.

"Guess who's hosting next year's Christmas party?" Celeste asked.

"We are? Cool! I hope we don't get sick next year." Said Zack, as he took another bite of fruit cake.

"Me too. Being sick is no fun." Said Celeste.

"I hear ya. It was no fun having Chicken Pox last year." Said Zack.

Meanwhile, Kira received the video message on her phone, and seeing that it was for Kimi upon playing the video, she took her phone into the Pickles living room, where the gang was all about to sit down and watch Tommy and Dil's copy of the Reptar Christmas DVD that Zack got the previous Christmas from his aunt. Kira came up behind the couch and gently tapped Kimi on the shoulder. She turned to see her mother.

"What is it mommy?" Kimi asked.

"Can you come with me for a minute? You have a video message." Kira asked.

Kimi got up and followed her mother into the kitchen, where she saw the video. She smiled when she saw the video.

"You're welcome Zachary. Merry Christmas." Kimi whispered softly as the video ended, and Kira sent a message back.

At Zack's apartment, while most three-year-olds would be having their parent or guardian reading them Twas the Night Before Christmas late on Christmas eve, Zack, being the genius and advanced kid he was, was the acception to this rule. Ordinarily, his aunt would read him her Braille copy of the book, but with her throat being slightly soar, she put on a CD version of A Christmas Carole by Charles Dickins for them to listen to together that evening, as they saw to winding down for the night.

As they were listening to the book, the text from Kira came in on Celeste's phone. She read the message and responded.

"Thank you Kira and Kimi for the get well gift. The soup really helped. Also, please tell everyone at the party that it looks like we'll be hosting it next year, provided our health isn't at stake." Celeste wrote in her message back to Kira.

Once she sent the message, she leaned back on the couch, next to her nephew, who was just as happy as could be, despite having to miss the Christmas party. Because while he only got to see Kimi for five minutes, or more like ten minutes in the end, he got what he wanted all day, and that's all that mattered.

Back at the Pickles, as everyone was watching the Reptar Christmas movie, Kimi couldn't help but smile and think to herself, that she, too, had a wonderful Christmas, even if she only saw Zack for a short time, just being able to see his face and brighten his day, made her feel good.

And this, ends chapter 3. Come back tomorrow, when we find out what takes place when Zack and his aunt, host the Christmas party.

Author's Note: Well, I'm feeling a little bit better after writing that chapter. Goes to show you, writing a little bit of Fan Fiction can surely cheer you up after having a drag of a day.


	4. The Planets

Chapter 4, The Planets

It was freakishly warm on this particular December day the following year, when everybody was gathered at the Wehrenberg's apartment for the annual Christmas party. Zack and Kimi however, were enjoying another one of the Christmas presents that was sent to Zack by his maternal grandparents from Wheeling, West Virginia. This year, he received a telescope, and it was reported on the news that on this particular night, if he looked out his window at just the right time, one could see all of the other planets of the solar system. Zack, while he was only four-years-old, and the youngest child to be in kindergarten, found stuff like this fascinating, and he planned to use his telescope every single night, just to see what he could see. He even tried to count every star in the sky back when the gang was in preschool, and got Tommy to go along with his plan. Sadly though, this plan didn't succeed, even though Zack came up with a system for counting the stars, after watching an episode of Curious George, when George tried to do the same thing.

"Kimi, I wanna show you something." Said Zack, as he beckoned her to come over to his telescope.

"What is it Zachary?" Kimi asked.

She was wearing a red short sleeve t-shirt and blue shorts, as it was very hot in Yucaipa, California, way to warm to wear traditional warm Christmas sweat shirt attire.

"Look out there." Said Zack, as he positioned his five-year-old's friend's face into the viewfinder of the telescope.

Kimi looked through the eye piece, and saw the night sky before her.

"Wow Zack, that's so pretty! But, what is it?" Kimi asked.

"That's our universe Kimi. The known universe where our planet lives. And see the red ball out there? That's Mars." Explained Zack, as he pointed out at different things he wanted Kimi to see.

She just thought everything was pretty. Unlike Zack, who was a child genius, Kimi was nowhere that level of intelligence, but she loved being friends with a guy who could teach her a lot of great things. Thanks to Zack, as soon as everybody started preschool two years ago, he worked hard with them on their letters and numbers, and in turn, it helped Dil to be more prepared when he started preschool the following year, as everyone found out later that Tommy would go home in the afternoons and show him everything he learned that day. Now, it was a case of the planets and stars out in the night sky that Zack wanted Kimi to pay attention to.

Once Kimi had had enough looking through the telescope, she turned towards her blond friend with a question.

"Hey Zachary, can I ask you something?" Kimi asked.

"Sure Kimi, what is it?" Zack replied.

Zack was also wearing festive summer clothes on this particularly warm Christmas Eve. He had on a dark green t-shirt and kacky shorts, along with a pair of blue flip flops.

"Zack, will we always be together at Christmas?" Kimi asked.

Zack just looked at her and smiled. Then, he approached Kimi, put the five-year-old's face into his hands, and gazed passionately into her eyes.

Kimi was thankful that nobody else was in the room at that moment, or else she might have been embarrassed by his jesture. They were playing in Zack's room with his telescope, while everybody else was out in the living room and kitchen, snacking on food and enjoying one another's company. It would soon be time for the kids to sit down together and take part in another annual Christmas tradition, watching a Christmas movie together on DVD, and this year, Zack picked out the movie. Since he enjoyed reading A Christmas Carol every year, he thought everyone might enjoy watching the Disney version of the same movie. Realizing they didn't have a copy of the movie on DVD, his aunt asked Peter if he had it, and sure enough, he did, so he brought it with him to the party.

"As long as the planets in our solar system continue to revolve around the sun, we'll always be together for Christmas." Said Zack, as he smiled and gazed into Kimi's eyes.

Kimi just silently smiled, and gazed back at Zack, glad to know this.

No sooner were they enjoying their little moment together, when their names were called.

"Zack? Kimi? Are you coming? We're about to start the movie now." Said Tommy.

They turned and saw Tommy in the doorway of Zack's room. The purple haired five-year-old boy was wearing a red and green shirt with Reptar on the front, a pair of navy blue shorts, and once he arrived at the Wehrenberg's, he took his shoes off, as it was too hot to be walking around with them on. He'd rather be barefooted on this warm day.

"Oh, yeah, we're coming Tommy." Said Zack, as he smiled, and he and Kimi followed Tommy out to the living room, where the rest of the gang was curled up on the couch, and Peter was about to put on the movie.

Unfortunately, while Peter meant to pick up the Disney version of A Christmas Carol, he picked up Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas instead.

"I have good news and bad news kids. I brought a Disney Christmas movie, but I brought the wrong one. Would you settle for Mickey's, Once Upon a Christmas?" Peter asked the group.

Everyone nodded and smiled, even Zack. Peter was surprised by this reaction.

"Are you sure it's ok Zack? I know you were really looking forward to the other movie." Said Peter.

"It's cool." Said Zack, as he turned to Kimi, who was sitting to his immediate left, and smiled.

He could be watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, and he'd be happy. As long as Kimi was by his side, that's all that mattered. Soon, the movie was in the DVD player and started, and everybody dug into their containers of chocolate covered popcorn and Christmas candy, while enjoying this holiday movie together.

And this, ends chapter 4. I know this chapter was a little bit shorter than the other ones posted thus far, but I was suffering from a bit of Writer's Block when trying to come up with an idea for this chapter. Hope you liked what did appear for the year Zack's family hosted the Christmas party, and, another chapter will be up tomorrow.


	5. School Attack Aftermass

Author's Note: In the event anybody is reading this that's checking out my stories for the first time, this chapter takes place at the Christmas that was going on during the events of a story I released last December entitled, The Shooting.

Chapter 5, School Attack Aftermass

Every year, Zack's maternal grandparents would send him presents at the holidays from Wheeling, West Virginia, and while they came to visit back when he was just a baby, the memories of his grandparents were fading away. He longed to have a Christmas with his relatives out in Wheeling, West Virginia. So once Zack started first grade, his aunt decided to take some time off of work at the holidays, and together, they'd take a trip to visit his distant relatives, the ones he never got to see. This would mean though that he'd have to miss that year's Christmas pagent, but they told his teacher Miss Fishtails ahead of time, and she completely understood.

Unfortunately, a few days before they left for their trip, a school shooting had taken place at Zack and Kimi's elementary school, involving the twin brother of a science teacher that was visiting one of the kindergarten classes. While this teacher was visiting, his brother broke into the school with a gun, barged into the classroom, and started shooting at random students. When the principal came to investigate, the shooter turned the gun on himself, and shot himself right in front of the kindergarten students that were still alive, for them to see such a horrible fright, if seeing this mad man shooting at half of their classmates wasn't bad enough. As a result of this incident, the pagent was canceled prior to Zack leaving for his trip, which in a way, he was happy about because he wouldn't be missing it, but it was also saddening, especially to Kimi, who was really looking forward to performing a duet of Oh Come All Ye Faithful in English and Japanese with Lil Deville, who was her best friend by this time.

Zack and his aunt left for their trip as scheduled, and while he tried to put the events of the past week out of his mind, it was really hard. He felt so bad for Kimi and everybody back home. Even Tommy's little brother, who was in the kindergarten class that was attacked, went through the trauma of losing his best friend, who he had only known since the beginning of the year. Once their plane landed and Zack ran into the arms of his maternal grandparents, Liz and Harold, he put the events of the week behind him as best as he could, that is, until he saw something on the news while at a Christmas party being hosted by one of his cousins.

"In national news, a school shooting recently occurred at Doodle Dale Elementary School in Yucaipa, California." Said a news ankeror on the television.

"It was pretty scary. Several young kindergarteners were killed by a mad man who broke into the school with a gun just last Monday." Said Principal Brown to a reporter.

"But while the events of this tragic event have made the holidays a difficult one for many families this year, two young boys who attend the school, along with King Peter Albany of the Confederacy, have found a way to make things just a little bit safer, for when the students return from break." Continued the news ankeror, as they went to another interview with Peter and another reporter.

"Two very good friends of mine, first grader from Miss Fishtail's class, Tommy Pickles, and his younger brother, a student from Miss Lindaberry's kindergarten class, Dil Pickles, helped to arrange a recreation of the Christmas pagent that was suppose to take place at school, at a well known coffee shop in the area run by Chaz Finster and Betty Deville called the Java Lava. Here, people attending the pagent would pay for their tickets, food, and drinks, and the money went towards a security system for the elementary school." Explained Peter to the reporter.

"But by the end of the night, they were still roughly five thousand dollars short of being able to afford the security system." Narrated the ankeror on TV.

"Not anymore. I presented a personal check to Principal Brown myself for the additional five thousand dollars, to which he was very grateful to my generous offer." Said Peter on the television, with a twinkle in his eye.

"And thanks to this generous offering, the students of Doodle Dale Elementary School, will never have to worry about terrorism in their classroom, ever again." Concluded the news ankeror, as the report ended on the television.

As the report was wrapping up, a shot of the pagent appeared on the TV of Kimi and Lil performing. Despite the fact that Kimi must be missing Zack, she was happy, and Zack was glad that despite all that went on that week, Kimi still got to perform her song, as she had been working so hard on it for so long, she was nearly devastated when she received the news that the pagent was canceled, and Zack left town before this rescheduling of events took place.

As soon as the report ended on the television, and a Christmas concert started on the television, Zack's great aunt Vicky came over, and offered him some pumpkin spice eggnog.

"Want some of my pumpkin spice eggnog Zack?" Vicky asked.

"I'd love some please." Zack replied with a smile, as she handed him a mug of the eggnog.

After he finished the first mug though, he asked for seconds.

"May I have another mug of eggnog please?" Zack asked.

"Sure! But you might wanna go easy on that stuff, it's going to be bedtime soon." Said Vicky.

"Oh no Vicky, this one isn't for me, this one is for my friend Kimi." Zack replied.

"Kimi?" Vicky asked, raising an eyebrow.

Just then, Celeste walked up to where they were talking.

"Oh, Kimi is a friend and classmate of Zack's back home. They've known one another since they were babies." Celeste explained, as she took a seat on the couch next to her nephew.

"Oh, how sweet!" Said Vicky, as she refilled Zack's mug.

"And since Kimi can't be with me for the holidays this year, I wanna drink a cup for her." Said Zack.

Vicky just stood there and smiled at the young blond, as she watched him sipping the drink for his friend. She was amazed that this young child at only age five, understood the true meaning of Christmas, and after realizing this fact, she cried tears of joy, as she took a seat in an easy chair off to the right of the couch, and watched the young boy, as the fire started to die down in the fireplace, and the evening hours grew late.

Back in Yucaipa, California, the pagent had concluded, and Kimi was at home, enjoying The Santa Clause Two on DVD with her brother Chuckie, when she got up from the couch, and plucked a candy cane off of the tree.

"Why are you grabbing another candy cane? Haven't you had like, two all ready?" Chuckie asked, as he stared over at his sister to notice her on her third candy cane of the night.

"Oh Chuckie, you're so silly. This one isn't for me, this one's for Zack." Kimi said with a smile, as she bit into the candy cane.

"Hello, earth to Kimi, Zack's away on vacation." Chuckie shouted in her ear, as he waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"I know, and that's why I'm having a candy cane in his honor. He'd wwant me to do that for him. Besides, I'm just so happy about how everything went at the pagent tonight, if only Zack could have been there." Said Kimi with a sigh, as she trailed off, turning her gaze away from Chuckie, as a sad expression came to her face.

Chuckie sat back down on the couch and put a comforting arm on his sister's shoulder.

"Don't worry Kimi, Zack will be back soon, and just hearing about how the pagent went will be enough to make him feel good. Besides, it's not like he won't get to see it. Peter told me that General Frolo video taped it, and Tommy's family also recorded it too, so Zack will get to see your performance no matter what." Said Chuckie.

Kimi just smiled at her brother, as she breathed a sigh of relief and took another bite of her candy cane.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Said Kimi to herself, as she gazed out the living room window at the night sky at what had to be a twinkling star, before returning her attention to the movie.

Meanwhile, out in Wheeling, West Virginia, as the fire was dying down in the fireplace, and it would soon, be time for Zack to head off to bed, he too, gazed out the window in his cousin's living room at the night sky.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Said Zack to himself, as he gazed out at the night sky at what he believed to be a twinkling star.

Little did those two young kids know at that moment, that they were telling one another Merry Christmas, through means of gazing at that very same star in the sky. No matter, they both knew in their hearts that they were together on that Christmas eve, and that's all that mattered. Hopefully though, they'd be together physically the following year.

Would they? Find out, in tomorrow's chapter, as this, ends chapter 5.

Author's Note: Just to let you all know, Vicky, Principal Brown, and the teachers mentioned in this chapter, are all OC's owned by me, and General Frolo is owned by TCKing12. Also, I know I said I was going to release a couple of other stories this weekend, like Honey, Angelica Shrunk the Babies, and New York New York, which is the East coast gender bender Rugrats version of A Rugrats Vacation, but looks like some of these other stories are going to have to wait, as I do have a paper to finish up for one of my classes, and while it's not actually due until December 14, yeah, my birthday, I'm going to be quite busy next weekend with birthday celebrations and attending my dad's Christmas concert with the local band he plays flute in, thus, I'd better get it done this weekend while I have some time. Not to worry, if I don't oversleep at all next Saturday and Sunday, getting some extra time to post those day's chapters in Christmas Collage, as well as other stories, I'll make up for not being around much as of late, and I have plans to make up for being so neglectful over the past couple of months, between December 7 and December 24, provided time allows for it. However, I will continue to release chapters in this story, one per day as promised, and I'd like to say before I post this chapter, that to those of you who have followed, favorited, and left reviews on this story thus far, I thank you. It's fans like you that keep me going and motivated to wanna keep releasing stories and such to this site, and I'm sorry if life has made it harder for me to be as active up here as I was around this time last year. I am going to do everything in my power though, to make it up to all of you, before the end of the year. For now, you all take care, and I'll be back tomorrow with another chapter.


	6. The Legend, of Turtle Doves

Author's Note: Sorry I didn't get this chapter posted earlier today, but between taking a nap this afternoon, and releasing and completing another story called Honey, Angelica Shrunk the Babies, which is available in the Rugrats and Honey I Shrunk the Kids crossover section if you care to check it out, well, I'm finally getting around to writing and releasing this chapter, before the day finally concludes. I hope you enjoy, as another favorite Christmas movie of mine, inspired the events of this chapter. I'll explain in more detail at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 6, The Legend, of Turtle Doves

The following year, Celeste couldn't afford to take anytime off work to go to Wheeling for the holidays, so looks like Zack and Kimi would get to spend Christmas together. However, this year, with everybody's busy schedules, Christmas shopping didn't take top priority, as everybody hit the mall on Christmas eve before heading to the Christmas eve service at Susie Carmichael's church. This would be her first year singing in the children's choir on Christmas eve, and nobody wanted to miss it. Peter took all of the kids around to different stores to do their Christmas shopping, to buy gifts for one another, with whatever tooth fairy money and allowance they had earned up to buy presents.

They were currently in a clothing store, where Kimi and Lil were admiring a set of ties on a shelf.

"Oooh, look Lil, that tie is perfect!" Said Kimi, as she pulled down a blue clip on tie with red rocket ships on it.

Lil just gave Kimi a look.

"You don't wear ties, and you know your brother doesn't care much for them either." Said Lil.

"No Lil, this tie isn't for Chuckie, it's for Zack. He's gonna love it!" Said Kimi, as she took her purchase up to the counter, and handed the clerk the tie.

"That will be five dollars young lady." Said the clerk, as the seven-year-old girl took a five dollar bill out of her pink coin purse, and handed it to the man.

"We can gift wrap that for you if you'd like, for no additional charge." Said the man.

Realizing that they would have to head to the Christmas eve service as soon as they were done with their shopping, Kimi accepted the man's offer, and the tie was presented to her, in a rectangular shaped box wrapped in shiny green Christmas paper.

"Thank you sir." Said Kimi, as she waved to the man and left the store with her package.

She and Lil headed out into the main part of the mall, where they sat on a bench outside of Macy's, waiting for Peter and the boys to finish up with their Christmas shopping. Everybody else had picked out something, except for Zack, who was still trying to decide on the best gift for Kimi. Then, he spotted something very interesting on the Christmas tree set up to decorate Macy's. A set of two doves. He plucked them off the tree and took them up to the counter, as he didn't see a price tag on the item.

"Excuse me, is this for sale?" Zack asked the clerk behind the counter.

The clerk eyed the item, and shook his head.

"I'll be right back, let me check with my boss." Said the clerk, as he left the counter.

The six-year-old blond waited patiently for the man to return, hoping he'd hurry back, as they'd have to leave very soon for the Christmas eve service. Soon, the man returned, with a smile on his face.

"Young man, we normally wouldn't sell our Christmas ornaments, but since it's Christmas eve, and we need to sell out, as the tree goes down the day after Christmas, we'll sell you these turtle doves for five dollars." Said the man.

"Turtle doves?" Zack asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You've never heard the legend, of the turtle doves?" The store clerk asked.

Zack shook his head.

"Well, here's how they work. You keep one, and you give the other one, to a very special friend. As long as you and your friend each have your turtle doves, you'll be friends forever." Explained the clerk, as an idea came to Zack.

" _I know exactly who I'm going to give the turtle dove to._ " Zack thought to himself, as he paid for his purchase, and headed out of the store to meet up with the others.

They caught up with Lil and Kimi waiting outside on a bench, when Kimi got up and approached Zack with her gift.

"Merry Christmas Zachary. Go ahead, open it." Said Kimi, as she handed the rectangular package wrapped in shiny green Christmas paper to Zack.

"Right here? In the mall?" Zack asked.

"Yes." Kimi replied, a beaming smile across her face.

"Well, uh, ok." Said Zack, as he tore off the wrapping paper and opened a box to find the tie inside.

"Oh wow! A blue tie with red rocket ships on it! Thanks Kimi." Said Zack, as he reached in and gave his friend a hug.

"You're welcome Zack." Said Kimi, as the two blushed and smiled at one another.

At that moment, Peter escorted the group of kids out of the mall, and took everyone home to change into their Sunday best for the Christmas service. Zack hurried home, where he changed into a pair of dark blue corduroy pants, a white buttondown shirt, and his new tie from Kimi. Then, looking at the Reptar clock on his wall, he saw he and his aunt didn't need to leave for another ten minutes, so he headed into the kitchen, where he found a small white square box that was vacated on the table, along with some gold wrapping paper, and got to work, wrapping his present for Kimi. He placed her turtle dove into the box and wrapped it up, placing a silver bow on top. Then, carefully placing his turtle dove into his pants pocket, he picked up Kimi's gift, and waited by the front door for his aunt to be ready to go.

Soon, she walked out into the entry hallway, wearing a long red dress, a silver necklace with a snowflake on it, green Christmas tree earrings, and a pair of black high heals.

"Are you ready to go Zack?" Celeste asked.

"I sure am Aunty Celeste, let's go." Said Zack with a smile, showing a gap where he had one of his top teeth missing, as they piled into his aunt's driverless van, and headed for church.

Once they arrived, they walked into the church, where Zack spotted Kimi in a pew, saving a seat for him. He led his aunt over to that pew, and they sat down, just in time for the service to start. Kimi glanced over and smiled, when she saw Zack wearing the tie that she had given him. She was secretly wondering what Zack had gotten her for Christmas, but could wait until the end of the service, which is what she ended up having to do, as no sooner had she glanced over at Zack, when the service started, as everybody stood up and sang Oh Come All Ye Faithful, as the organ and the choir, where nine-year-old Susie Carmichael was present, led the congregation in singing the hymn.

The service went beautifully, as a sermon was given talking about the importance of Christmas, and Zack's favorite part, when the lights were dimmed after communion, while everybody sang Silent Night. After the service was over, everybody headed into the Gill's Room for refreshments, at which time, Zack ran up to Kimi, who was eating a sugar cookie covered in red and green sprinkles, and took her aside to give her her present.

"Here Kimi, this, is for you." Said Zack, handing Kimi the little square package wrapped in gold paper with a silver bow on top.

"Thank you Zachary!" Kimi exclaimed with a smile, as she tore off the wrapping paper, and pulled out the turtle dove.

"What is it?" Kimi asked in confusion, as she turned the plastic turtle dove around and around in her hand, examining it.

"It's a turtle dove." Replied Zack, as he pulled his turtle dove out of his pants pocket and showed it to Kimi.

"See? Now you have one, and I have one. And as long as we both have our turtle doves, we'll be friends forever." Explained Zack.

Kimi blushed and smiled, as she looked down at the turtle dove in her hand, then over at Zack, who too, was holding his turtle dove and smiling.

"Wow! This is neat! Thank you Zachary! Merry Christmas." Said Kimi, as she pocketed the turtle dove in the front pocket in the red dress she was wearing, while Zack repocketed his turtle dove into his pants, and the two kids, gave one another a hug.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Zack whispered into Kimi's ear, before the two children let go of one another, and raced back to the refreshments table, where Zack grabbed the last sugar cookie with red and green sprinkles on it from the plate, right as Angelica was trying to reach for it at the same time.

"Hey! That cookie is for me!" Angelica cried in disappointment.

"Sorry Angelica, looks like I beat you to it. Maybe next year." Said Zack, as he took a bite of his cookie.

" _That Zachary, he's the bestest, so brave, so bold, so, perfect._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she ate the rest of her cookie, and enjoyed that moment together with Zack, while Angelica went off to a couch on the other side of the room, and moaned in defeat.

And this, ends chapter 6.

Author's Note: The idea with the turtle doves was something that I learned about originally in the movie, Home Alone 2, Lost in New York, when Mister Dunkin of Dunkin's Toy Chest, presented Kevin with the turtle doves, and told him the story of the legend. Then later in the movie, Kevin gives one of the turtle doves to the pigeon lady, who he had made friends with earlier in the film, before stopping Harry and Mars from steeling the money from the toy store. I rewatched that movie on DVD yesterday afternoon, and when watching that part, well, it gave me the idea for this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it, and another chapter will be up tomorrow. Also, to anybody who celebrates who might be reading this story, Happy Chanukah! As today at sundown, marked the official start of Chanukah. Of course, all of us Rugrats fans knows what that means, yep, the meany, of Chanukah, though I checked my TV Guide apps on my iPhone, and while I couldn't find out much more past tomorrow, because the listings are slightly messed up, The Splat is airing a season 9 episode of Rugrats later on at midnight my time on December 7, repeating it at 05:00 a.m. and at midnight and 05:00 a.m. on December 8, a season 2 episode is listed, but I don't know when and if the season 4 Chanukah episode will be airing this upcoming week. Perhaps DemonAloisTrancy knows, and if she does, she can leave me a review or a PM if she wishes to do so. Of course, if she got it recorded on DVR last year, when 90's Are All That aired it on the first night of Chanukah, no big deal, and I already have it on the season 4 DVD, which I'm thinking of going and watching while I grab some dinner shortly here, but figured to those of you who rely on The Splat these days for your Rugrats viewing as of late, thought I'd let you know that I don't know about when the Chanukah episode will be airing this week. The holiday goes through sundown on my birthday, December 14, and actually, if you think about it, the episode itself, takes place on the last day of Chanukah, because all of the candles in the manora are lit, Tommy tells the other babies about what had been going on the past several nights, which means he's already been celebrating Chanukah with his family up to that point, as his grandpa Boris would come over each night, and partake in the daily Chanukah ceremony, and the play all about the meaning of Chanukah, sounds like something a sinnigogue would put on at the end of Chanukah, not the beginning. Therefore, is The Splat waits and airs it on the last night of Chanukah, it's fine by me, and would make a lot of sense, based on what day of Chanukah the episode takes place on.


	7. Caroling and the Scrape

Author's Note: My apologies for getting a couple of days behind on this story. Between suffering from some writer's block, along with all of the other crazy stuff that's kept me away, well, it effected this story, and the promise, to release one chapter a day. No worries, I'm gonna make it up to all of you this morning with three chapters, and I'd like to thank Emma Pickles for inspiring the events of this upcoming chapter, as it was her latest Christmas story that gave me the idea for this chapter, and had I not have to leave for school after reading her latest story on Monday, this chapter would have been released two days ago. No matter, here it is now and I hope all of my readers can forgive me for being absent.

Chapter 7, Caroling and the Scrape

Another year had gone by, and the dynamic duo of Zack and Kimi were now in third grade. Of course, being the child prodejy he was, Zack was seven-years-old and in third grade, while Kimi was eight-years-old, and the usual age to attend the grade with the rest of her peers. Over the past year, a lot had happened, including taking up various after school activities, one of which for Zack, was joining Cub Scouts.

The Cub Scouts would do a lot of activities together, but one of the best things they could ever do, was show generosity by volunteering around their community doing various tasks. Whether it was picking up litter in the park, shoveling someone's walkway after a freak snowstorm, or spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer around the neighborhood by singing Christmas carols, the Cub Scouts were there. However, while Zack enjoyed this group, it was one of the few activities that he did alone, as none of his other guy friends were interested in joining. And because it was for boys only, Kimi couldn't join. Ordinarily, she was ok with this, until it came time for Zack to go caroling. She was disappointed on that Saturday in mid December, when she had to stay behind at the Java Lava, and help hang Christmas decorations, while Zack got to go sing Christmas carols around the neighborhood.

Later that day after caroling was finished, and the two kids were sitting at a table sipping on some hot chocolate, Kimi got a brilliant idea.

"Hey Zachary." Said Kimi.

"Yeah?" Zack asked, as he took another sip of his hot chocolate.

"I know you went caroling with the Cub Scouts, but do you think we could go caroling together? Maybe we could even get all of our friends to join in!" Suggested Kimi with a beaming smile on her face.

Zack thought about it for a minute. He did have fun caroling, but the more he thought about it, the more he was sorry Kimi couldn't go with him and the other Cub Scouts, so he looked Kimi straight in the eye and smiled.

"Sure Kimi, I'd love to go caroling with you! We could do that while Phil and Lil's parents get things ready for this year's Christmas party on Christmas eve, as they'll be hosting it this year." Said Zack.

Kimi shook her head in agreement, and for the next two weeks, they asked their friends if anybody wanted to go caroling with them. To their surprise however, nobody else was interested, either because they were too nervous to sing in front of other people, like in the case with Chuckie, they were needed to help decorate for the party, which was the case with Phil and Lil, and this particular year, Chanukah would be wrapping up on Christmas eve, which meant Tommy and Dil had sinnagogue to attend, and would be arriving at the party late.

Realizing this fact though, because they were just kids, Peter agreed to be an escort, and agreed to take Zack and Kimi caroling for the afternoon. So on Christmas eve, which was a cold thirty degrees that day, Zack, Kimi and Peter bundled up in coats, hats, scarves and gloves, and went from house to house, singing to all of their neighbors.

 _On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partrage in a pear tree._

This could be heard outside of Angelica's house. While they didn't invite Angelica to join them anyway, turns out she was home sick with a cold, so she wouldn't have been able to go even if she wanted to.

 _You'd better not pout I'm telling you why, Santa Clause is coming, to town._

They were heard singing this outside of Susie's home. She so wanted to go, but she had just recently gotten over a cold, and they would be going to her great Aunt T's for Kwanzaa that year, and she wasn't sure when they would be leaving, so she sadly, declined the invitation. Good thing too, as the family packed the car while listening to Zack and Kimi sing, and as they drove out of the driveway, Susie looked out the window and smiled.

"Thanks Zack and Kimi, that was beautiful. Sorry I couldn't join you guys, maybe next year." Said Susie.

"It's ok, have fun at your aunt T's." Said Kimi with a smile, as she waved goodbye and watched the Carmichaels disappear down the street.

The truth was, great aunt T wasn't doing well, seeing she was over ninety-years-old, and wouldn't be able to make it up to visit them that year, and they were worried this might be the last year she'd be alive for the holidays. So while everyone would miss Susie and her family at their Christmas party that year, they understood their reasons for their absence, and hoped they could enjoy Christmas with their dying relative.

 _Oh by golly have a holly jolly Christmas, this year!_

This could be heard outside of Stu and Didi's house, thankful they got to hear Zack and Kimi sing one song before they had to leave for sinnagogue.

"That was beautiful kids." Said Didi with a smile, applauding Zack and Kimi's performance after it was finished.

"Thank you Didi." Zack replied with a warm smile, as he turned to Kimi, who smiled back at him at that very instant.

Then, Zack leaned into Kimi's ear and whispered something.

"Hey, wanna race to the Deville's yard for our last performance before the Christmas party?" Whispered Zack into Kimi's ear.

Kimi smiled and nodded, as the two kids held hands, then standing at the edge on one side of Stu and Didi's driveway, they let go, and prepared to sprint across the driveway and into the Deville's yard.

"Ready? Set? Go!" Said Zack as he took off, with Kimi following behind shortly after.

"Hey! Come back here." Kimi said playfully, as she ran to catch up with her friend.

No sooner though had Zack gotten up to the door of the Deville's, when he heard a cry of pain. He turned around to see that Kimi had fallen. He jumped down from the Deville's porch and ran to her aid to see what was the matter.

"Are you ok Kimi?" Zack asked, helping his friend up.

"My knee hurts." Kimi cried through her tears of pain, as she continued to massage her wounded knee with her other hand.

Zack looked down to see that Kimi's shoelaces had come untied, and she had tripped on them, landing on a rock in the yard when she fell.

"Awe, sorry to hear that Kimi, come on, let's head inside and get your scrape cleaned up." Said Zack, as he led his crying friend into the Deville's house and into the bathroom, where Kimi pulled up her pant leg to reveal a large scrape on her knee.

Zack looked around the bathroom, till he spotted some bandages, cotton balls, and some anticeptic on a shelf. He had Kimi sit down on the toilet with the top closed, and attended to her wound.

"Now hold still Kimi, this might sting." Said Zack, as he applied some of the anticeptic to a cotton ball and put it on the scrape.

"Youtch!" Kimi yelped as she felt the stuff sing her booboo.

"It's gonna be ok Kimi." Said Zack with a smile, as he held her hand for a minute and squeezed it.

Kimi breathed a sigh of relief, as Zack covered the wound with a Dummi Bears bandage. Once she was all cleaned up, they headed out to the Christmas party, where they took a seat on the couch, spending the rest of the evening together.

"Feeling better Kimi?" Zack asked.

"Much! Thank you Zack." Said Kimi.

"You're welcome Kimi, that's what friends are for." Said Zack with a smile, as they gave one another a hug.

"Sorry I ruined our last caroling spot." Said Kimi, when she let go of Zack, looking him in the eye.

"You didn't ruin anything. Accidents happen. I'm just glad you're ok." Said Zack.

Kimi relaxed and smiled, as the two kids turned and stared at the Christmas tree across the room, all beautifully lit and decorated.

And this, ends chapter 7. What will happen next? Find out next time.


	8. The Advent Workshop

Chapter 8, The Advent Workshop

While Zack and Kimi cherished special moments together on Christmas eve, this particular year things were different. Their most cherished moment was at Zack's church's annual Advent workshop. An event that would be held on the afternoon of the first Sunday in Advent in the basement of his church, where long tables would be set up, and kids of all ages could come downstairs and make various arts and crafts, to either decorate their homes with for the holidays, or to give as Christmas gifts. The Christmas gift option was the one chosen by Zack and Kimi that year, as neither one of them had even thought about going shopping to buy one another a gift.

There were all sorts of arts and crafts that people could make, from baking gingerbread cookies, to making candy canes and wreeths out of beads and pipe cleaners, to even making stain glass windows out of colorful pieces of waxed paper to hang on the windows at home.

Zack decided on the stain glass window option, creating a beautiful window with a picture of a butterfly to give to Kimi, while Kimi wasted no time, and decided to make an ornament for Zack to hang on his Christmas tree. Her ornament would be made out of different colored material wrapped around a styrerfoam ball. However, she not only made this for Zack to enjoy, but she knew his aunt would like it too, as she'd be able to enjoy this ornament on her tree, with its many tactile textures the different soft materials would present.

While the two crossed paths several times at the advent workshop, they hardly said a word to one another, until their special gifts were finished. Right before it was time for the workshop to conclude, the lady in charge let everyone know that they'd allow the kids to make one last batch of gingerbread cookies, before people started packing up. Zack and Kimi wasted no time. They agreed to do this activity together, and kept their promises. They sat down next to one another at the table, and each grabbed cookie cutters from the center, while Paula, who was in charge of this project, brought around the gingerbread dough. Kimi and Zack made their gingerbread people, and got started decorating them. Kimi decorated hers with some yellow frosting for hair, red hots for eyes, craisens for buttons, and some white frosting on the rest, while Zack decorated his with some chocolate frosting for hair, raisens for eyes, chocolate chips for buttons, and some pink frosting.

Once their gingerbread people were decorated, Paula put them into the oven for ten minutes, and after they came out and were cool enough to eat, they were handed to Zack and Kimi.

Kimi then picked up her gingerbread person, and handed it to Zack, who just stared in shock.

"But wait Kimi, this is yours. You made it, shouldn't you eat it?" Zack asked.

"Uh uh, I made it for you! Look, I made you. See the blond hair? And the craisens? I know how much you like them." Said Kimi as she blushed a smile at Zack.

Zack just blushed and smiled, as he took the gingerbread person from Kimi, and took a bite.

"Mmmm! Delicious!" Said Zack after swallowing his first bite.

Then, he looked at his spot on the table and realized his gingerbread person that resembled Kimi was still sitting there. He picked it up and handed it to her.

"Here you go Kimi, I made this for you. Well, originally for me, but since you gave me yours, it wouldn't be fair for you to be gingerbread less, so, here you go." Said Zack, as he handed his gingerbread person over to Kimi.

"Thanks Zachary!" Exclaimed Kimi, as she took a bite out of the head.

"Mmmm! Chocolate frosting! I love it!" Said Kimi after she swallowed her first bite.

They sat in silence, as they smiled at one another, and slowly enjoyed their gingerbread cookies they had made for one another, while Celeste and Kira, who were helping out at this event, along with the other volunteers, got things cleaned up from the advent workshop, as the workshop had long since officially ended by this point.

A few weeks later at the Christmas party, which was being hosted at the Carmichaels, as while Betty got the baby in her piece of fruit cake the previous year, making the Devilles host the Christmas party, two years in a row, after what the poor Carmichaels had to go through on New Years Eve last year, ending the year on a sour note, with a death in their family, they felt they could use a little bit of Christmas cheer that year, as it was especially hard for Lucy, seeing it was her first Christmas without aunt T to liven up the holiday. When it was time for the gift exchange, Zack and Kimi presented each other with the gifts they had made several weeks back at the Advent Workshop.

"Oh wow! A butterfly!" Exclaimed Kimi, as she finished opening her gift to stare down at the stain glass window that sat before her.

"Actually Kimi, it's a stain glass window, that you can hang on any window in your house, and make the room even more beautiful." Said Zack.

"Cool!" Exclaimed Kimi, as she handed her gift to Zack, at which he opened.

Upon opening up the tactile Christmas ball, he looked up at Kimi and smiled.

"Wow! A Christmas ornament that both, my aunt and I can enjoy together! Thanks Kimi." Said Zack.

"You're welcome. I had a lot of fun making my gift for you at the Advent workshop. If anything, it made the gift seem more special when I made it myself, oppose to buying it with my allowance." Kimi replied.

"You know what Kimi? I felt the same way when making your stain glass window." Zack added.

And so, they agreed to make gifts for one another the following year at the Advent workshop, as they found making gifts for one another was more meaningful than buying gifts. However, while they could have hung their presents in their own homes, on the small Christmas tree that Zack and his aunt had decorated their apartment with, and on Kimi's bedroom window, instead, they decided to put their gifts on the Christmas tree and window at the Java Lava.

"Why are you hanging that stain glass window here Kimi?" Kira asked her daughter, as Kimi stood on a stool with her mother watching so she wouldn't fall, and hung her gift.

Once she was done hanging it up, she climbed down and faced her mother.

"So Zack and I can enjoy our gift together." Kimi replied, as she and Kira turned to see that Zack was hanging his ornament on the Christmas tree they had put up in the Java Lava that holiday season.

"And my ornament will be here, so Kimi and I can enjoy it together." Said Zack, as he hung it on the tree.

"You know Kira, I find it so precious how our kids, mine being my nephew and yours being your daughter, have found the Christmas spirit, every year we've known one another." Said Celeste, who was sitting at a table, sipping on some hot chocolate.

"I agree, it is great, and only makes the holidays feel even more special." Said Kira with a smile, as she headed to the back to refill the bin up front with more straws, as it was running low.

Zack and Kimi however, were looking at the tree where Zack's ornament was hanging, and at Kimi's stain glass window, then at one another, as they smiled, and silently enjoyed one another's company, on Christmas eve, as they sat in the Java Lava, watching the sunset.

And this, ends chapter 8.

Author's Note: The idea to have the Advent Workshop is something I took from my own childhood. After I moved to Massachusetts, my church I attended would do the Advent workshop on the first Sunday in Advent, and the arts and crafts that were made and available to make at Zack and Kimi's were also at the ones I went to when I was little. I tended to make my stuff as ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree with at home, rather than gifts for other people, except of course for my gingerbread cookie, which was my snack that afternoon, but it was something I really enjoyed growing up, and I thought I'd share a personal Christmas experience in this story. And what's funny, I had more or less, forgotten about the Advent workshops until I was trying to think up ideas for chapters for this story, and the memories of the good times I use to have at them, came flowing back. Not sure if my church still does them, but if they do, and my nephew is still around here when he's old enough to participate in them, I hope he too, can have the same fun I use to have. And come to think of it, whether they do them or not, I may have to get the pipe cleaners and beads to make wreeths and candy canes with him someday, as well as the ready made gingerbread dough and stuff for decorations, so he and I can make gingerbread cookies together when he's older, as gosh, I can't remember the last time I made those. They were so much fun! While my nephew's grown a lot since he was born, he's only 2, and still a little young to be doing all of that stuff. Now I'm longing for the day when he's old enough for us to do that stuff together, only I know when it gets here, I'll miss his toddler years. Either way, we'll never win, but I'll always treasure the memories. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll be back with another chapter shortly. And oh yes, Paula, the gingerbread baking lady, is my OC.


	9. The Christmas Concert and Snowballs

Chapter 9, The Christmas Concert and Snowballs

A lot had changed since the previous year when they made gifts for one another at the Advent workshop. While they did that this year too, everybody had transferred schools, starting middle school early, no longer being led by Principal Brown at Doodle Dale Elementary School, but now they were in Middle school, and were led by Vice Principal Pangborn, a redheaded large guy, with a tough attitude, who had a degree in Child Psychology, as well as being a pro wrestler.

Despite these changes, Zack and Kimi stuck together, even come the holidays, when they'd be playing two duets in the concert on their recorders. Oh Christmas Tree, and God Rescue Merry Gentlemen. On the night of the concert, they came dressed in holiday style. Kimi had her hair pulled back in one single ponytail, and she was wearing a long dark green dress and black high heals, while Zack wore a blue blazer, bage corderoys, and his blue tie with the red rocketships on it that Kimi had given him a few years prior. Ordinarily, he would have been embarrassed to wear such a juvenile tie in front of his other classmates, but he knew how much Kimi liked it, so he wore it, just for her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to close this evening's concert, with two duets from two of our top recorder players in the fifth grade class. Kimi Finster, and Zack Wehrenberg." Announced Miss O'Keif, as she stepped aside, and Zack and Kimi walked out to center stage, as the audience was quieting down from applauding from the last group who performed, a string quartette who did their rendition of The Nutcracker Sweet, and the two young recorder players, got ready to play to close out the show.

This time, Zack was a little nervous, but Kimi assured him that it would all go ok, so he took a deep breath, and began. They performed their two pieces, and after they were done, as they took their bows, all of their friends, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Dil, as well as Susie, all gave them standing ovations.

"Bravo Kimi, bravo!" Shouted Chuckie from the audience.

"Yeah Zack and Kimi, way to go." Shouted Tommy from the audience, who was also filming this with his camcorder.

Zack and Kimi exchanged glances, then smiled out at the audience, as everybody continued to applaud, and they turned to walk off stage.

Little did everyone know what had taken place while they were inside attending the Christmas concert. It would be one of the rare times, that these kids would get a white Christmas in Yucaipa, California, as they walked outside to find snow on the ground. Nobody wasted any time.

"Snhowball fight, come on guys." Said Phil, as he picked up a clump of snow, got it into a snowball, and threw it in his sister's face.

"Hey!" Said Lil playfully, as her cheeks turned red, throwing a snowball back at her brother.

Soon, Tommy, Dil, Chuckie, Zack and Kimi were also picking up snow and throwing snowballs at one another. Before everyone knew it, they were all throwing snowballs at one another, giggling, and having a good time.

"Got ya!" Said Kimi playfully, as a snowball landed on Zack's head.

"Well, here you go then." Said Zack, as he threw another snowball, as it landed in Kimi's face.

She brushed the snow out of her face and smiled at Zack, and he brushed the snow out of his hair and smiled back at Kimi. Soon, they noticed that the only sound was the wind and their giggles of laughter, as they looked around to find they were the only two still in the school yard, throwing snowballs at one another.

"Hey, where did everybody go?" Zack asked.

"I think they all left." Kimi replied, just as they heard a horn honking in the distance.

"Uh oh, that's the sound of my aunt's van. We'd better be going, I don't wish to keep her waiting." Said Zack, as he and Kimi made a mad dash for her van and piled in.

"Did you two have fun out in the snow?" Celeste asked, as the driverless van pulled out of the school parking lot, and they headed for Kimi's house.

"We sure did." Kimi replied.

"Yeah, I think other than the year we went to Wheeling, this had to be, my first white Christmas." Said Zack with a smile.

Kimi nodded and smiled in agreement, as if she had any other white Christmases, they were when she lived in Paris, and was too little to remember them.

"You guys did a beautiful job tonight on your duets to close out the concert." Said Celeste, as she pulled into Kimi's driveway.

"Thank you Celeste." Said Kimi, as she got out of the van.

"And thanks for driving me home." Added Kimi.

"It's no problem. You two were having so much fun in the snow together, that I offered to bring you home, and your parents were ok with that, as long as we got back here before eleven, and it's five minutes til, so I'd hurry inside if I were you." Said Celeste.

"Merry Christmas." Said Kimi, as she headed for the front door.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Zack called after her, as he saw Kimi head inside, and he and his aunt headed for home.

Once they were home, and about to head in their separate directions to get ready for bed, Zack turned to his aunt.

"Aunty Celeste, this had to be by far, the best Christmas ever. Thanks for arranging it so Kimi and I could have a little bit of time together." Said Zack.

"It's no problem sweetie. I understand that you and Kimi are well, best friends, and I also understand that we've been so busy lately, that you two haven't had as much time to hang out. I didn't want Christmas to slip away without you two getting a few moments together, especially since I hear we're suppose to be getting more snow tomorrow, and depending on how much we get, it could cancel the Christmas party if we all end up snowed in." Said Celeste, as she turned to head towards her bedroom.

"I hope it doesn't." Zack replied, as he too, saw to heading towards his bedroom.

"Me too. Well, goodnight Zachary." Said Celeste, as she came over to her nephew and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

"Night aunty." Zack replied, as he headed to his room, where he looked out the window, and noticed it had started snowing again, as the street lights outside his window illuminated the snowflakes.

He then sat on his bed and pulled out pictures of him and Kimi from previous Christmases. There was their kiss under the mitheltoe, them curled up together on the couch at Kimi's house with Chicken Pox, along with pictures taken of them at the Christmas parties they attended together since, and the picture of Kimi all by herself at the one Zack had to miss when he and his aunt went to Wheeling, along with a picture Vicky took of him in Wheeling to send to Kimi. She made two copies, so they could both have one. Then he looked at a picture of them making gingerbread cookies together at the advent workshop, and finally, he pulled out his turtle dove, and studied it for a few minutes, before putting these momentoes back up in his top dresser drawer, and getting ready for bed.

" _Every Christmas with Kimi is like magic. I wonder what next Christmas will bring?_ " Zack thought to himself, as he climbed into bed, and pulled the covers up over his head.

Little did he know though, what would happen to him and Kimi the following year.

And this, ends chapter 9. For people who have been following my OC Zack, you can probably guess as to what time period of Zack's life we're getting ready to approach, but I'll leave you readers to speculate, and come tomorrow, you can find out if you're right.


	10. Christmas Letters

Author's Note: Again, I apologize for getting behind on this story yet again. Seems every single time I think I'm gonna have a ton of time to update, something else keeps creeping up in my life. At this rate, I'll be lucky if I have 140 stories completed on my profile come the end of the 2015 year, which might be a better goal to spring for, since time is quickly running out between now and Christmas day, and there's other stories I really wish to get released and completed come Christmas, which, all new stories will begin on December 15, when my semester at school is finally officially finished for me. Criminy, I hate it when I think it's going to end one day, only to find out differently at the last minute, screwing me up elsewhere in the process. No matter, you're not here to listen to me rant about the problems in my life that seem to be more or less, beyond my control, you're here, to check out another chapter of this story. And before we begin this chapter, I should point out that the Christmas presented in this chapter takes place during the events of the All Grown Up episode from season 3, The Finster who Stole Christmas, though it might not appear so quite as much during the chapter, I'll explain what I mean come the end of the chapter, for anybody who's confused. Also, while the story will be written in regular text as always, two letters will be presented in the chapter, and those, will be presented in italics. With that out of the way, let's get on with the chapter.

Chapter 10, Christmas Letters

Ten-year-old Zack sat there on his living room couch, staring out the window, where mountains of snow lay before him on the ground, as he dribbled his new basketball on the living room floor in frustration. It was a one of a kind basketball, orange, and autographed by his favorite basketball player of all time, Michael Jordon. But while he was happy to receive this gift from his aunt that year on Christmas eve, the fact that he was snowed in wasn't the problem. It was where he was snowed in that was his problem.

He was once again, in Wheeling, West Virginia. This time however, it wasn't to visit relatives for the holidays. Oh no, by Christmas of that year, he had been living there for eight months, when his aunt got transferred to work at the local radio station in town, right before Zack had a once in a lifetime opportunity, to attend an Emmica concert with all of his friends back home. Now, here he was at Christmas, with nobody but his aunt, and none of his closest friends nearby.

"I! Hate! This! Town!" Zack yelled in frustration, as he dribbled his basketball at each pulsing word that came out of his mouch, just as the front door of their small house opened, and he heard footsteps.

He turned to see his aunt walking towards him, with her cane in one hand, and the mail in the other. She was wearing a red winter coat, blue gloves, and a dark green and sparkly Christmas scarf that she had received as a secret Santa present at her work.

"Hi Zack, did you have a nice day?" Celeste asked, as she set the mail down on the coffee table.

"No." Zack muttered, as he lay his basketball down on the floor, knowing his aunt didn't really appreciate him playing with that in the house, he only did it when she wasn't home, to ease his frustration of being lonely, and his hatred towards moving and this town.

"Oh, don't give me that attitude, so the roads are closed. I at least made it home from work before the weather got so bad, I'd have to be snowed in, as Hank is doing the gravy shift this year. So, be thankful we're together for Christmas." Said Celeste, as she stroked Zack's blond hair, and took a seat on the couch next to him.

Zack just shook his head, as he looked through the small pile of mail on the table.

"What's in the mail sweetie?" Celeste asked, as he went through the small stack of envelopes, which were now on his lap.

"Junk, junk, junk." Said Zack, as he tossed a few letters out from credit card companies, a catalogue with stuff for girls in it, and one of those sweepstakes where one could win big prizes by completing crossword puzzles.

His aunt was against him doing those, as they're just a bunch of scams. Then, he picked up a white envelope addressed to Zack and his aunt from King Peter Albany of the Confederacy.

"Wow! We got some mail from Peter!" Zack exclaimed.

"He probably sent a Christmas card. Why don't you open it." Said Celeste, as Zack tore open the envelope and looked at the card inside.

He pulled out what appeared to be a store bought Christmas card, that had a Christmas tree on the front. He opened the card and found a check for two-hundred dollars inside, with a note.

 _May your holidays be bright. Merry Christmas Celeste and Zack from Peter, Randy, Lucy, Alisa, Buster, Edwin, Susie, Lou, Lulu, Drew, Charlotte, Angelica, Stu, Didi, Tommy, Dil, Chaz, Chuckie, Howard, Betty, Phil, and Lil._

After Zack read through the signatures on the card, it suddenly hit him, two signatures were missing.

"Wait a minute Aunty Celeste, two signatures are missing." Said Zack.

"What are you talking about?" Celeste asked.

"Where are Kimi and Kira's signatures? They never signed the card." Zack asked.

Celeste shook her head in puzzlement.

"I don't know." Celeste replied.

" _Maybe Kimi's mad at me for moving away._ " Zack thought to himself, as he tossed the Christmas card aside.

But then it hit him. If that were the case, then surely Kira would have signed the card, and her signature was missing from it as well. There had to be a different reason for their absence of signatures. He'd soon have some answers though, as he came to the last piece of mail in his lap. A brown envelope addressed to Zachary Michael Wehrenberg, from Japan.

"Well here's the last piece of mail." Said Zack to his aunt, as he looked at the envelope in his hand.

"Who's it for?" Celeste asked.

"It's addressed to me, but it's from, Japan." Zack replied in surprise.

"Japan?" Celeste asked, confused.

"My thoughts exactly." Said Zack.

"Hmmm. Well, you could read the address, so whoever addressed it to you can speak English if you could read the envelope. Why don't you open it while I go get dinner started." Said Celeste, as she got up off of the couch and made her way into the kitchen.

Zack studied the brown envelope for a few more minutes, before he finally decided to tear it open, and see what was inside. Upon opening it, he pulled out a few sheets of white notebook paper, which to his surprise, appeared to have Kimi's handwriting on them, along with her most recent school picture. In the school picture, he noticed something different about her. She had a streak of pink in her hair, which took him a bit by surprise.

" _Does Kimi now have a new look? Perhaps I should read her letter and find out._ " Zack thought to himself, as he clutched the three sheets of notebook paper in his hands, and went off to his room, where he could have a little bit of privacy to read her letter while he waited for dinner to be ready.

He walked into his room, closed the door, sat down on his bed, and began to read the letter to himself.

 _Dear Zachary,_

 _I hope things are going well for you in your new home in Wheeling, West Virginia. Sorry I haven't been around much lately, a lot has been happening since you moved away. For starters, we had a lot of fun at the Emmica concert, well, once we all got to go. To make a long story short, Tommy's dad had this madalion necklace that looked just like Emmica's, that Angelica wanted to wear to the concert. Being her usual self, she tricked Tommy into steeling it from his dad so she could borrow it, which only got him into trouble. At first, he was grounded, but once I found that Spike had buried the necklace in his old sandbox, we got it to his dad, who was in that dance competition at the park, and made it to the concert, where Tommy and Angelica got to sing on stage with her. I was sorry you had to miss it, but we had a good time._

 _In other news, a lot has been happening since you left. For starters, Phil and Lil are starting to go their separate ways, being more so individuals than twins. They both got their own rooms, and Lil is taking up an interest in soccer and boys while Phil is being his usual, disgusting self. You may recall Dil always being weird, but seems since you left, his weirdness has only skyrocketed. He's obsessed with aliens, to the point that he has some imaginary alien friend named Izzy. And get this, half our school is just as dorky as he is. Did you know that they voted for him along with my brother for safety commissioner this year? What a bunch of hewy!_

 _Enough on Dil's excentrickness, I'll give you some details of some more normal people. Well, as normal as it gets. Tommy's been taking his possible filming career a bit more seriously. He entered a competition where he nearly exposed a bunch of our secret conversations on film, but in the end, he combined what was going on with some pictures of us growing up. Sadly though, he only included footage of movies he shot when you weren't around, otherwise I might have asked him if I could have sent you a copy of A Day in the Life Before My Friends. If that's not enough, he just recently entered his latest film, Colidascope Lunch into another contest. He should find out sometime in January if he won._

 _As for my brother? Well, other than being his usual nerdy quirky self in braces, nothing out of the ordinary with him. Ok so we almost didn't go to my parents ten year anniversary because we were fighting, as we were potitioning against one another when it came to cell phones in school. I wanted to ban them, because as I'm sure you're aware, cell phones have become so tied to our existence, that nobody talks to one another anymore. Susie helped me with my side, while Angelica got Chuckie to help her with her side, to keep cell phones in school. This caused us to end up at war with one another, but we got over that when we saw the movie Tommy put together for my parents at their anniversary, and all is cool between us again. Chuckie and I even got cell phones from our parents as a present, but I'd rather give you my cell phone number the next time we talk on the phone in person. For now, call my house phone please._

 _As for our friends, well, all was cool amongst us until Halloween. Ok, so I have to confess. I really miss you a lot. In fact, I miss you so much, that I nearly did something that would have left me totally and completely insane. There I was, in the garage one day, minding my own business, when I got the crazy idea to carve our initials into the wall. But at the last possible second, when I meant to carve ZW + KF, I chickened out. I mean really! If people saw that I carved our initials into the wall, they'd call me crazy for having a crush on someone who no longer lived in town anymore. So to cover myself up, I carved TP + KF instead. Yeah, Tommy's initials. Now don't get any ideas that I have a crush on him. I don't. Besides, I forgot to mention that Tommy has recently started Hebrew school, as in case you forgot, his mother's side of the family is Jewish. There, he met some pretty blond named Rachel, and they've been going steady ever since. But back to my situation with my stupid carving in the wall. Thinking back on it, I should have put our initials there, because as soon as the rest of the gang saw TP + KF, they instantly thought that I had a crush on Tommy, and that Tommy had a crush on me._

 _This caused my brother and Tommy to not speak to one another for two days, and it nearly ruined Halloween for everyone, as they vowed to not go trick or treating together, as they were going to share a Halloween costume. Thanks to me, Phil and Lil though, ok, more technically, thanks to my dad's security system to keep from getting toiletpapered, they made up, and we're all friends again. Then came Thanksgiving, where another big adventure hit for us._

 _Ok, so I should flash back a little bit here. You remember Susie Carmichael right? Well I'm sure you're aware of her talent for singing. Not long after you moved, some lady named Beverly Jones overheard her singing, and tried to get her set up with a record deal. We all were a bit skeptical of this lady, but Susie was all for taking this lady's offer. However, her parents were against supporting her in this ordeal, so she got her sister to give her a thousand dollars, and in the end, poor Susie was ripped off. The lady turned out to be nothing but a con artist, and we're just glad she didn't get hurt. She and I are also a part of the language club at school, and on the night of the big competition, Susie had another chance at a singing gig, which I'm glad she turned down, as I felt pretty neglected when she nearly chose that over helping our school win the golden tongue award. However, she finally had her big break at Thanksgiving. Not sure if you saw the parade on TV, but Susie got chosen to sing on the American Cheese float in the Gracy's Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City, and we saw the country in style, in an RV with our moms._

 _Ok, so it wasn't the best trip of our lives. I won't bore you with all of the details, but we were miserable, and this meant for me, suffering from car sickness much of the way, we got separated from our folks in New Mexico, having to use an assortment of transportations to get to our moms, who had headed all the way to Misouri, and finally, thanks to being rescued by the onion capital of the world, ok, more technically, a float on its way to the parade representing the onion capital of the world, we made it there in time for Susie to perform. After the parade though, it hit me that you lived within driving distance of New York City. Sorry we didn't think to invite you, but with all we had been through, don't take it personally Zack, but you were the last thing on my mind at that moment._

 _Upon returning from our trip, Chuckie and I were given family tree projects in our English class to complete before the holidays. It was then that I decided to learn about my Japanese harritage, as you may or may not know, my mom and I are of Japanese descent. Of course, Chuckie was all mad at me that I joined Japanese Club at school, and didn't take any time out of my day to teach him to iceskate. One time I wished you hadn't moved away, as I would have asked you to do that with Chuckie for me. Or, more likely, you would have offered to help him out, so I could get done my project. No matter, I got an A plus on my assignment, and after I got home from school that day, mom had an even bigger surprise for me._

 _She was so proud of me for all of the work I did on my assignment, that for the first week of our Christmas break, she was flying me to Japan, where she and I would get to spend some time with my biological dad Hiro, as well as some of my other Japanese relatives. In fact, I'm on the plane, heading to Japan, as I write you this letter, and plan to send it off after we get there. Because I'll be in another country, I won't be reachable by phone, but mom says we'll be heading home on Christmas eve. I'm glad too, as Susie is hoping to get to sing the solo at the Christmas Eve service at her church, and I don't wish to miss it._

 _And finally, as for Peter and Angelica, as we're about to land soon, not much has changed with Peter, he's still the same goofy king with his Disney characters, keeping us in line and hanging out with us, being his royal self, and as for Angelica? Well, I know how much you despise her, so I'll simply say, she hasn't changed much since you left. Ok so last summer, we all got to go to this ranch owned by some friends of Tommy's grandfather, and she befriended a baby ostrage, but that's about the only good thing I feel she has to offer in her favor. With that, I'd better see to wrapping up this letter before we start to land. In closing, I hope things are going well for you, and if I don't hear from you before the holidays, hope you have a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Kimi_

 _P.S.: Enclosed is my latest school picture. Don't be alarmed by the pink streak in my hair. I just, wanted to go for a different look. I hope you like it._

As Zack finished reading Kimi's letter, he just sat there and stared at it for a few minutes, amazed at all that had happened since he left, though in some ways, he was a bit disappointed. For starters, he was sad to see that Phil and Lil were going their separate ways, but more so, he was a bit upset that Kimi couldn't be honest with her feelings towards him, covering them up by carving Tommy's initials on the wall instead. It then hit Zack for the first time, that deep down, he liked Kimi more than just a friend. He picked up her picture and stared longingly at the Japanese girl with a pink streak in her hair, and thought how pretty she looked.

" _Wow! Kimi looks nice with pink hair._ " Zack thought to himself, as he continued to look at the picture for a few more minutes, before going and adding it to the box of photos he kept hidden in his dresser drawer.

After staring at the photo for five minutes, he put the picture up with his stash, and pulled out a small white square box, where he pulled out the turtle dove he had gotten four years ago on Christmas eve.

" _I wonder if Kimi still has her turtle dove?_ " Zack thought to himself, as he studied his in his hand for a few more minutes, before putting it back in the box, closing the drawer, and staring at himself in the mirror.

There he stood, his blond hair a mess, wearing a white undershirt and dark gray sweat pants, with a black eye, thanks to the most recent fight he had been in at school, all because he got one-hundred-and-ten percent on a math test, making an eighth grader jealous. He couldn't stand to look at himself, and was thankful he didn't have a picture of himself right then to send to Kimi. He did look through his school photos from that year, thankful those were taken before this fight broke out, and maybe, he'd send Kimi one of his school pictures with a letter, but right then, he just wanted to hear her voice.

"It is Christmas eve, I wonder if she's home from Japan yet?" Zack asked himself, as he pulled out his cell phone, and gave Kimi's house a call, as while she now had a cell phone, he still had yet to get the number from her.

He dialed and heard three rings before somebody picked up.

"Hello?" He heard an all too familiar nazely voice on the other end of the phone.

"Chuckie? It's Zack." Said Zack into the phone.

"Zack?" Chuckie asked, unsure who it was.

"Wow, it's been way too long, hasn't it? You know, Zack. We've only known each other since your third birthday." Zack replied.

Chuckie stood there on the other end, trying to comprehend who was there. He wasn't really up for this conversation, as he already felt bad for steeling somebody's Christmas tree just a couple of days before, he didn't need somebody to come back into his life, who he hadn't spoken to in nearly eight months.

"I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't recognize you." Said Chuckie apologetically.

"Well, I'm looking for your sister, is she home?" Zack asked.

"Could you hold on for a minute?" Chuckie asked into the phone.

"Sure, I'll hold." Zack replied, as Chuckie put the phone down and went to get his dad, who was singing Oh Christmas Tree for the sixtieth bazillionth time that day.

"Dad, could you come to the phone? Some kid named Zack is looking for Kimi." Chuckie called to his father, who looked up to see his son before him.

"Oh my gosh! Zachary? That nice blond boy who moved away last spring?" Chaz asked, recalling who Zack was.

"Is it true that we've known each other since my third birthday?" Chuckie asked.

"Yes it is son. What does he want?" Chaz asked.

"He wants to talk to Kimi." Chuckie replied.

"Oh, well Kimi and your mom aren't home yet. I'll go talk to him." Chaz replied, as he went and picked up the phone off of the counter.

"Zack, are you there? It's Chaz, Chuckie and Kimi's dad." Chaz said into the phone.

"Oh my gosh, Chaz, it's nice to hear from you. Is Kimi back from Japan yet?" Zack asked.

"Oh, I had no idea that you and Kimi were still speaking. No, I'm sorry, I recently spoke with Kira, and they're stuck in Mexico. I can have Kimi give you a call when they get home if it's not too late, as I know you're three hours ahead of us." Said Chaz into the phone.

"That would be great. Thanks." Said Zack.

"No problem." Chaz replied.

"Well, talk to you later, and Merry Christmas." Said Zack.

"Merry Christmas." Said Chaz, as he hung up the phone, and Zack did the same on the other end, just as his aunt called him for dinner.

He went into the kitchen, where his aunt had laid out a feast of maple glazed pork tenderloin, garlic mash potatoes, and grilled asparigus. He took a seat across from her at the table, and dug into his food.

"So Zack, who was the letter from?" Celeste asked.

"It was from Kimi. She sent it to me from Japan, because she went there to visit her biological father." Zack replied.

"Oh that's right, I forgot that Kimi is Japanese." Said Celeste, as she took a bite of some mash potatoes.

"You knew she was Japanese?" Zack asked.

"Uh huh. Found out at Father's Day, right after your biological parents and paternal grandparents died in that house fire whehn you were little. I returned from attending the funeral to collect you on Father's Day, when Kira told Kimi about her biological father, after you all found a box of precious momentoes from him." Celeste explained.

"Gosh, I was so little when that all happened, that ten years later, I had nearly forgotten about that." Said Zack.

"It's ok, so what did Kimi have to say in her letter?" Celeste asked.

Zack went on to explain most of the things in the letter, though he was a bit discrete about the wall carving that took place at Halloween, a bit too embarrassed to talk about it. Then, he thought about it for a minute, and decided to bring up the subject with his aunt, as perhaps she'd have some advice for him.

"Celeste, I have a question for you. If you really liked someone, and I mean, romantically, would you rather carve someone else's initials on the wall and hide it? Or would you rather be completely honest with everyone, even if they thought you were crazy for liking someone who doesn't live in town anymore?" Zack asked.

"Hmmm, that's an interesting question. Well, if it were me, I wouldn't care what anybody thought. Always remember sweetie, honesty is always the best policy." Said Celeste.

"So, do you think I should tell Kimi how I really feel?" Zack asked.

"Well, yes." Said Celeste.

"But what if she doesn't like me back? I mean, even her own brother didn't even recognize me when I gave her a call this evening to talk." Zack replied.

"If Kimi thought about you enough to write you a letter on her way to Japan, and send it, then I believe she considers you to be a very special friend. And ever since you took your first steps, you and Kimi have been more or less, inseparable. I know this might sound a bit embarrassing, but I think you and Kimi would make a cute couple. And if she's gone as far to hide her true feelings for you, I think she might really like you. Go on Zack, tell her how you feel. Who knows, maybe it will help Kimi to feel a bit better about being open and honest with her feelings in the future." Said Celeste.

"You really think so?" Zack asked, as he took a bite of asparigus.

"Yes, I do." Said Celeste.

Zack thought long and hard about what his aunt said, as the two of them finished their dinner in silence. He was thinking about trying Kimi's house again as he climbed into bed that night, when he looked at the clock on the wall, and saw it was nearly eleven thirty at night. While this would only make it eight thirty in California, chances are Kimi would be tired from her trip, and probably suffering from a great deal of jet lag. So he turned out the lights, rolled over, and went to sleep.

The following day was Christmas, and thanks to a terrible snow storm, he and his aunt were snowed in, unable to attend the family Christmas party. He also never heard back from Kimi either, so by mid afternoon, he gave her house a call again, only to get four rings and an answering machine.

"You have reached the Finster residence. Please leave a message, after the tone." He heard Chaz's voice say on the answering machine, before a beep was heard.

"Hello Kimi, it's Zachary. Just wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas. I got your letter, thanks. Call my cell when you get this. Bye." Said Zack into the phone, as he hung it up and stared out the window, about ready to cry.

He was really missing Kimi at that moment, and then, he thought.

"Maybe they're at the Java Lava. I'll give her a call there." Zack said to himself, but decided against it, as in all seriousness, why would they be open on Christmas.

He thought about calling the Pickles or the Devilles, but he didn't want to call them, mainly because he wanted to talk to Kimi in private. His plan was to get her cell phone number from her and call her back on that, but as the hours wore on, still no phone call from Kimi, and soon, it was dark.

" _Guess Kimi got involved in celebrating Christmas with her family and friends._ " Zack thought to himself, as he pulled out a blue loose leaf notebook, and opened to a blank page.

" _And now I know why Kimi and Kira's signatures weren't on that Christmas card from Peter. He sent that after they left for Japan, causing them to not be present to sign it. Ba hum bug._ " Zack thought to himself, as he picked up a number two pencil, and started composing a letter to Kimi.

" _I guess, talking to Kimi, the old fashion way, will have to do._ " Zack thought to himself, as he began to write.

 _Dear Kimi,_

 _It's me, Zachary._

 _I got your letter, thanks for the updates. From what it sounds like, you and everybody back home have been super busy. Sadly, while I've been busy too, it hasn't been the same around here without you guys. So as you probably are aware, I'm in middle school now, though with me being the youngest kid at school, they insisted in having me repeat the fifth grade. My aunt and I fought to keep me in middle school, as with my level of intelligence, I would only be bored, unchallenged, and probably slack off as a result. Thanks to my intelligence, I'm in the Gifted and Talented program, keeping very busy with creative writing assignments, math competitions, and complicated science experiments. I'm also playing trombone in the school's concert band, and have taken up piano lessons, as I've always wanted to learn a musical instrument, and my school's band director said that in seventh grade, I could join the jazz band as a keyboard player, since their current keyboard player is graduating at the end of the year. Interested in this, I decided to take up piano lessons and I take from a nice elderly lady who lives in the neighborhood named Hilda at her house on Tuesdays after school._

 _While this is all dandy, the other students at school don't think very highly of me. Most of them are jealous of my intelligence, and right before going on winter break, this big eighth grader who's twice my size named Blake, gave me a black eye, all because I received one-hundred-and-ten percent on a math test. It was ridiculous, and I was about ready to crush his head in, when the principal walked out of his office and saw the whole thing. And while Blake got suspended from school, I didn't wish to get suspended too, so put my hand down, before I could get into any trouble. I probably look like a real loser, but who's gonna care anyway._

 _And if that's not enough to ruin my life at school, my home life hasn't spared much better. My aunt works long hours at her job, so we hardly spend any time together anymore. You'd think having a ton of time at home alone would be super great, but the truth of the matter? It stinks! I'm lonely! And I miss you guys terribly! If only I had stayed in California. If I had stayed, I could have taught Chuckie how to iceskate while you worked on your family tree project, which, congratulations on your good grade on that by the way. If I had been there, maybe Tommy would have chosen film clips for his Friends movie with me in them. I do wish him luck with his latest film he's entered into a contest, and hope it wins. I'll have to call him up in January and see if he won. And if I had been there, you could have carved our initials into the wall, which would have made for a better Halloween, not causing your brother and my two guy best friends since infanthood to be at each other's throats. It's all my falt that everyone back home has gone through such a terrible mess, and I'm sorry if I had to move. But if you really wanna be mad at anybody, be mad at my aunt. She's the reason why we moved. Her and her stupid job._

 _Ok, I'm sorry I ranted, but I just had to get that off my chest. I hope you can forgive me for that. But yes, the truth is, I miss you Kimi, I miss you terribly. And the honest truth, the more I think about it, the more I'm starting to realize, I, too, like you more than just a friend. Yes, I like you like a girlfriend, and rather than covering it up by carving the initials of some other girl at my school's name on the wall, I'm gonna be completely honest. I really like you Kimi, and regardless how far apart we are from each other, I hope we can be more than just friends in the future._

 _I don't have much more to say, so I'll close by saying this. Tried to give you a call yesterday, but got your brother. He hardly recognized me, which is kind of a shock, but not, after all you guys have been through since I left. I was actually pretty surprised to see that letter from you, but I thank you for doing that. I hope you and your mom made it home safe and sound from Japan. I briefly spoke to your dad Chaz, and he said you two were stuck in Mexico when I called. I tried to call today, on Christmas, but I'm guessing you guys are most likely at Peter's annual Christmas party, because nobody was home. Hopefully you can call me back, even if it's not until after you get this letter. My cell phone number hasn't changed, as my aunt never bothered to get my California number changed to a West Virginia number after we moved. Chances are when our contract expires in February, that will all change, but I'll be sure to keep you posted. Here's hoping you had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and, we'll talk soon. By the way, love your new hair dew, the pink streak looks neat! Sending you one of my school pictures along with this letter. Haven't changed my look, it only changes when bullies punch me, but luckily on school picture day, no bruises or black eyes were present._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Zachary_

After he finished composing his letter, which ended up on two sheets of notebook paper, he ripped them out of the notebook, folded them up, and placed them into a white envelope, along with one of his school pictures that was taken that fall. Ordinarily, he wouldn't sneak out after dark, but he was determined to get his letter into the mail. Once he addressed the envelope and put a stamp on it, he looked around and saw his aunt went off to bed early, seeing she had work the following morning, so he put on his boots and winter coat, and carrying the letter in his hand, he made his way through the deep snow in the yard, down the street to the mailbox, where he dropped his letter off. Then, he went back inside, where he plopped down on the couch, and put on the DVD of A Christmas Carole, while he tried to enjoy what little bit of Christmas day was left, as it was nearly ten thirty at night. Though truthfully, he was miserable, and he more or less, put on the movie, to keep from doing something he'd regret, as he was so tempted to hich hike on to an airplane and fly off to California at that moment, but knew he'd never be able to face Hell of his stupidity once his aunt found out, so decided against that plan, before things could get way too out of hand.

" _Next year, maybe next year, we can go home for Christmas._ " Zack thought to himself, as the previews on his movie ended and he pressed play on the main menu screen, and got lost in the famous Charles Dicken's story that he and his aunt usually enjoyed together every year, only this year, he had to watch it all by himself, because it seemed that everybody was too busy to care about the blond genius on Christmas.

And this, ends chapter 10. So, will Kimi return the feelings? Guess we'll find out next year, and in the next chapter, which I hope to have up later.

Author's Note: Ok so several All Grown Up episodes were made reference to in this chapter. Hopefully, I can name all of them off. Susie Sings the Blues, Coupe Deville, The Finster who Stole Christmas, RV Having Fun Yet, TP + KF, Patition This, Rachel Rachel, Dude, Where's My Horse, Susie's Choice, and the way Kimi looked in her school photo she sent to Zack was how she looked in the episode, Bad Kimi. I also made tiny references to Izzy or Isn't He, Truth or Consiquences and Oh Brother, Can you Spare the Time. Hopefully, I didn't forget any episodes, but if I did, I apologize, and feel free to name off the other ones I made reference to in your review that I may have forgotten to make reference to here. Also, I think how this chapter turned out is pretty self explanatory. Kimi wrote that letter on the way to Japan, and Zack called while she and Kira were still trying to get home. And as far as the timeline on All Grown Up is concerned, I'm pretty sure that series took place over a single school year, which means technically, TP + KF and RV Having Fun Yet, in actuality, took place before The Finster who Stole Christmas. And you may be thinking, Rachel was mentioned in the Halloween and Thanksgiving episodes, but the Christmas one aired before Rachel Rachel. Well, in actuality, if my theory here is correct, Rachel was entirely Jewish, thus, why would she have any involvement in Christmas plans? Thus, if in actuality, Tommy and Rachel were dating at Christmas, he'd probably leave her out of his Christmas plans, because they'd mean nothing to her. I think even in TP + KF, she was against trick or treating because she believed it to be a means of ripping off candy stores and dentists. So there's my thoughts on the whole thing. Some events obviously haven't taken place yet, because it's only been slightly over half a year since Zack moved away, but chances are if they write letters back and force the following Christmas, perhaps Kimi will tell him other stuff that happened within the time that passes post Christmas. For now, take care, and more will be up soon.


	11. Another Year, Another Letter, and a Phon

Chapter 11, Another Year, Another Letter, and a Phone Conversation

It was now Christmas number two since Zack moved to wheeling, and while he longed to go to California the previous year, it didn't happen the following year, because his aunt was needed to do the gravy shift at the radio station on the evening of Christmas eve, not getting home till possibly two or three o'clock in the morning. Poor Zack sat there, alone on the couch, as he heard the doorbell ring. He went to answer it to find a girl from his school, a brounette girl of about age sixteen named April standing there, with the box of cheese pizza he had recently ordered for delivery from Pizza Hut that evening.

"Who is it?" Zack asked upon walking up to the door.

"It's Pizza Hut." Said April on the opposite side of the door, as Zack opened it and stared at her.

The girl stared back at him blusing, as she obviously had a crush on the blond, but Zack's heart was already taken. Of course, this girl would not ever know Zack's crush, because his seventh grader Japanese friend lived many miles away across the country.

"That will be ten fifty." Said April, as Zack took the pizza box from her, and set it down on a nearby table, then fumbled through his wallet, till he found a ten dollar bill and two quarters, handing it to her.

"There you go April, thanks." Said Zack.

"No problem. Say, I am finished with my shift, would it be ok if I came in?" April asked.

"Uh, no. My aunt's not here and I'm not allowed to have people over when she's not home." Said Zack, as he quickly slammed the door in April's face.

Over the last year, things changed at the middle school, where the middle school and high school were combined, because the old high school was being torn down to build a multi plex movie theater in its place. Of course, while ordinarily, this would have ruined Zack's chances at being the keyboard player in the jazz band, it didn't, since the previous keyboard player ended up moving away to Florida over the summer in between eighth and ninth grade, giving Zack the position. But on top of it, came April, who seriously had a crush on him, but Zack could care less.

He picked up his pizza and made his way to the living room, where he set it down on the coffee table, and was about to watch some episodes of Weird Science on demand, when he noticed the stack of mail on the table.

" _Hmmm, I wonder if Kimi sent me another letter this year? It's been a while since we've talked._ " Zack thought to himself, as he went through the stack of mail, and found a white envelope addressed to him.

He opened it up and saw it was another letter from Kimi, only this one was typed up on a computer.

 _Dear Zachary,_

 _Hope this finds you well. Sorry I never called you back last Christmas, by the time I got your message, it was too late to call back, and I was pretty tired, thanks to jet lag. I did receive your letter, only by the time I got it, school started back up again, and seems I've been busy, once again, short circuiting my time to talk to you. I sadly, didn't get to go to Japan this year, because mom broke her ankle right after Thanksgiving, and didn't wish to travel with an injury. Seeing we just finished an argument over my traveling there by myself, and her claiming I wasn't old enough to leave the country by myself unsupervised, I decided to sit down and write you another letter, catching up on what's been happening since last Christmas._

 _Well, the romantic couple known as Tommy and Rachel are no more. To make a long story short, Rachel moved away, and we obviously don't know Tommy as well as we all thought. Yeah, I was stupid enough to go along with this plan. Thinking Tommy really missed Rachel, as he made a big deal over her while we went to the bowling ally a couple of days after she moved, we recently found out that Dil was trying to market Impatience. Ok, better fill you in on a couple of other details that have occurred since last Christmas. Angelica's mom, Charlotte, lost her job at Mega Corp. To get back into the swing of things, she got Dil to market this game he started that we all play together called Impatience. I'd tell you how to play the game, but better leave that up to Dil, provided he wants to. Well, they were having a launch party for his game, and we decided, to cheer Tommy up, we'd invite Rachel, who only moved like forty-five minutes away. We then find out that Tommy was only faking the whole thing, and he got all mad at us for not believing him in the first place. He also brought along this new girl he met at the bowling ally named Anita, who ran off once she discovered Tommy to be in her eyes, a two timer with a mental problem. To put it simply, Tommy hasn't spoken to us in six months or more, and I'll be shocked if he starts speaking to us again come Christmas._

 _And as for Dil's game? If you haven't seen Impatience in stores, is because he decided to go back on marketing the thing, once he saw how nuts things were getting to be with what a big deal Charlotte was making out of it. In other news, Tommy and Dil's family did get a swimming pool. Ok, more like half a pool, after the contracters screwed up their foundation, causing several dollars of damage. Meanwhile, during the construction process, we found an old Reptar toy hidden in the yard. Yeah, remember him? Well, my brother thought we were cursed thanks to finding him. In the end, he was only upset about throwing out a childhood memory, and we decided to keep our old toy after all._

 _If that's not enough when it comes to losing childhood memories, you probably heard that Armidillo Dave was canceled earlier this year. Well, I vaguely recall you and your aunt introducing us to that comic book character back when we were in preschool, but ever since kindergarten, Chuckie's been like, obsessed with that guy. He was pretty upset over the cancelation, and neglected to help Tommy with a science project, but at the time I'm writing you this letter, he's finally over it, and Tommy got his project done on time._

 _Also, speaking of Tommy, he did win an award for that movie he entered into a contest right before last Christmas, and we all threw him a surprise party. Chuckie spilled the beans right before the party, but we all still had fun nonetheless. And then at spring break, we snuck into a PG13 movie and stopped a robbery at the mall. As you can see, life has been pretty crazy, that is, till seventh grade started at the beginning of the year._

 _I'm still in Japanese club, and I've been asked to help decorate for the winter carnival dance, which is coming up at Valentine's Day. I was thinking of asking Z to go with me. Oh yeah, you probably don't know who Z is. I met him last year. He's got green hair, wears an earring, and leather clothing. My brother thought he was a creep when we met, but soon learned he was ok. Well, that is, until this year. Two new guys came to school this year, named Izic and Alex. Like Z, they have different colored hair, and are always making trouble. Z has gotten to where he'd rather hang out with them, than with me, and I feel a bit, left out. I really wish you could move back home, then I'd ask you to go to the dance with me, but since I can't, I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking about you._

 _Well, I can't think of much else to say, and want my letter to get there in time for the holidays. Hope things have improved with you since last year, feel free to call at any time. Chances are I'll be available on Christmas eve to talk, since I'll be stuck at home this year, with nowhere to go._

 _Your Friend,_

 _Kimi_

Zack finished reading the letter as he took another bite of his cheese pizza, which was practically spilling melted cheese in his lap, as he stared at the letter. He then finished his slice and ran and got the cordless phone out of his aunt's bedroom. He would have called Kimi from his cell phone, only the battery was dead, and he hadn't put it on the charger. He sat back down on the couch and gave her house phone a call. He heard two rings followed by a sniffly sounding Kimi.

"Finster residence, this is Kimi speaking." Said Kimi in a nazely voice.

"Hi Kimi, it's Zack, and you don't sound so good." Said Zack into the phone.

"I have a cold. Hince, why I'm home all alone on Christmas eve instead of being at Susie's Christmas party." Kimi replied, as she blew her nose into a tissue.

"That makes two of us." Said Zack on the other end of the phone, as he took another bite of his cheese pizza.

"Oh? Well where's your aunt?" Kimi asked.

"She had to work the gravy shift at the radio station. She won't be home till probably two or three hours into Christmas day." Zack replied.

"So, did you get my letter?" Kimi asked.

"I sure did. Sounds like you've been busy. Did Tommy ever start speaking to you again?" Zack asked.

"Yeah, we all started speaking again come Thanksgiving, when we all ended up having to do a group project together over our holiday break, and went and helped his grandma Lulu at a homeless shelter. Also, thanks to Peter, he paid to get the damages at his house fixed, and their pool is finally finished. Hopefully the next time you get to come visit, we can go swimming." Said Kimi.

"That would be great!" Said Zack with a smile.

"So, what's up with you?" Kimi asked.

"Well, things have changed a great deal at school. I now go to extended high school, as at the beginning of the year, the high school and middle school murged, so I won't be graduating until my senior year of high school." Said Zack.

"Oh, that's too bad." Kimi replied.

"Nah, not really. At least now that the high school is there, the older kids in middle school aren't picking on me anymore because of being so smart. The only drawback, I've been more prone to illness this year, and have been out three times with various illnesses. Got a stomach bug the second week of school, bronchitis at Halloween, and at Thanksgiving, I had a rash that was contagious, so ended up having a plate of leftovers brought home to me by my aunt from my grandparents Thanksgiving table." Said Zack.

"How are you doing now?" Kimi asked.

"Luckily, I'm not sick for Christmas, though I ought to be, since I'm stuck at home all alone for the holidays." Zack protested.

"Don't fret it Zack, at least we have each other to talk to." Said Kimi warmly.

Zack just stopped and smiled, as he stared out the window to see some snowflakes falling down.

"You're right Kimi, at least there's that." Zack replied, just as Kimi let out a sneeze.

"Bless you Kimi." Said Zack.

"Thanks." Said Kimi, as she started coughing.

"Oooh, that doesn't sound good. Maybe I should let you go, so you can go rest." Said Zack.

"Thanks, I could lie down." Said Kimi.

"Oh, my cell phone number has changed slightly." Said Zack.

"What is it now?" Kimi asked.

"The seven digit number's the same, but the area code is now the area code for Wheeling, West Virginia, not Yucaipa, California." Zack replied.

"Thanks, I'll be sure to update this contact info in my phone." Said Kimi.

"And can you please also do me another favor?" Zack asked.

"Sure Zachary, anything." Said Kimi.

"Think we could try to find more time to talk more often, and not just at the holidays?" Zack asked.

"I'd like that." Said Kimi, as she blew her nose on another tissue.

"Great! Well, I'll talk to you later. Feel better, and Merry Christmas." Said Zack.

"Thanks. Merry Christmas." Said Kimi in between coughs, as their call disconnected.

While Zack felt bad that Kimi was home sick, he couldn't help but smile after he hung up the phone. He was once again, alone on Christmas eve, but getting to talk to Kimi on the phone, made the evening all worth while, as he dug into the rest of his cheese pizza, and watched some Weird Science on the demand channel on TV.

Meanwhile, after Kimi got off the phone, she took some more cough sirup before crawling back into bed, but before she crawled back into bed, she pulled open her nightstand drawer, where she pulled out a little dark purple heart shaped box. She opened the lid and pulled out her turtle dove she had received from Zack as a Christmas present five years ago. She sat there on her bed, examining the turtle dove in her hand, as she turned it over and over, smiling down at it.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Kimi whispered to herself, as she put the turtle dove back into the box, closed it up, and put it away in the drawer.

She was about to close the drawer, when she saw the most recent photo she had received of Zack, the school picture he sent of himself last year with his letter. She picked up the picture and studied it for several minutes, until her eyes started to grow heavy, as the drowsiness of the medicine was starting to kick in. Once she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, she shoved the picture back into her nightstand drawer, turned out the light, and went to sleep.

And this, ends chapter 11. So, what will happen next time? Will they get a Christmas together anytime soon? Find out, in chapter 12, which I hope to release sometime soon.


	12. A Christmas of Unanswered Questions

Author's Note: Forgot to place this at the end of the last chapter, but more references were made, to two All Grown Up episodes and one of my Fan Fic stories in the last chapter. The All Grown Up episodes referenced were All Broke Up and Curse of Reptar, and the story I wrote that was referenced, was A Thanksgiving to Remember. Also, the OC's of Isic and Alex, who should have been Ivan and Alex, woops? Not fixing it now, well, they're OC's of mine, who will be eventually introduced in a story I have yet to release called Bombs and Zits, which I hope to release sometime in 2016, though a tiny flashback to the events of that story will be taking place in this next chapter. Also, while the last two chapters have mostly focused on Zack with a small hint of Kimi, thought I'd focus more on Kimi in this chapter, with a small hint of Zack at the very end.

Chapter 12, A Christmas of Unanswered Questions

Thirteen-year-old Kimi lay in a large grassy clearing, beneath a starry lit sky, as Tommy lay next to her, holding her close. The two teenagers shared a kiss, as they playfully rolled over together in the grass, laughing and giggling, having a good time. Soon, they were lying side by side on their backs next to each other, looking up into the starry lit sky.

"This has to be the most beautiful Christmas eve, I ever witnessed! And the stars are just, so perfect!" Exclaimed Kimi, as she turned to Tommy and shot him a small smile.

"Just the way I ordered it, thankfully, it was warm this year on Christmas eve, and the stars thought to join us." Said Tommy with a smile.

"Yeah." Said Kimi with a relax sigh, as she closed her eyes, and took in the sweet cent of the night air.

"Gosh, I can't remember a night so peaceful and relaxing since the last time I took Rachel out on a date before she moved away." Tommy said to himself, only it was loud enough for Kimi to hear.

The teenage female, fed up with Tommy still not being quite over Rachel, sat up and slapped Tommy in the face. Tommy bolted upright and stared back at Kimi.

"Hey! What was that for?" Tommy asked irritably.

"Your comment about Rachel. You dated her like, over two years ago. And news slash, you never had a Christmas with her because the girl is Jewish. She'd probably think your split family was stupid, if she even knew. Good thing she never found out. Now, enough with Rachel! Aren't I the girl who saved your school career? The girl you've been kissing for the last ten months? Like, get over her already!" Kimi screamed at the top of her lungs through clinched teeth.

"Ok ok, I'm sorry." Said Tommy.

Kimi took a deep breath and calmed down.

"Sorry. I guess, well, it's just…" Kimi started to say, but trailed off, as thoughts of Zack plagued her again.

She didn't want Tommy to know she was possibly being a two timer, though she still hadn't made it official with Zack that they were a couple, even though something deep down told her that Zack might be the one, she hadn't spoken to him since before the incident that took place back in February when it all happened.

Flashback to February, around Valentine's Day

Kimi POV

It all started, roughly a week before Valentine's Day, when we were suppose to have the winter carnival dance. Five days before the dance, a bomb threat was issued at our school, right after we all got an assignment in our seventh grade English class, to do a project on current events in the news. Tommy as usual, took it upon himself to use this opportunity, to make another movie, since he was at a loss of ideas for new films at the time. When the bomb threat happened, during our evacuation, he secretly snuck back into the school with his camera, to film the investigation, only to be caught by Vice Principal Pangborn, and being suspected of commiting the bomb threat, he was expelled.

I was horrified by this, while Lil and I were pretty upset that the dance we had worked so hard to decorate for, was canceled, until some answers were given. While heading to school the following day, I couldn't help but overhear the group known as Z.I.A. out in the back of the school, laughing and giggling about the whole bomb threat. This group consisted of Z, Ivan and Alex. I even overheard them admit plain as day to one another that they caused the bomb threat, just to get out of taking a Chemistry midterm. Unknown to any of them, when I overheard this suspicious giggling, I secretly took out my cell phone, and took a video of the conversation, to which I'd later use as evidence, to prove that Tommy was innocent.

A couple of days passed, as I showed it to Tommy and Peter, who arranged a plan for us to all appear at the hearing, at which I convinced Z to come to, as at that time, he thought I might still have a thing for him, and he was originally, my date to that dance. Well, this all changed in court, when the evidence of my video were presented, and Z confessed to going along with this plan. In the end, he, along with Ivan and Alex were expelled, and thanks to me, Tommy got to return to school. It was then when I found out that Tommy didn't have a date to the dance, and he hadn't been going with anybody since the breakup with Rachel the previous year. And I, too, was dateless, because as I told Z, even if he hadn't been expelled, I wasn't about to go out with somebody who would stoop that low to get out of taking a midterm, because not only did he ruin things for himself, he ruined things for the whole school.

Luckily though, once the mystery of who committed the bomb threat was solved, we got our dance back, and Tommy and I officially started going out after that. And before you think that this caused tension between him and Chuckie, it's obvious that a lot of maturity has taken place over the last couple of years, though for some of us, we still have to learn that it's what's on the inside of a person that counts, and a pimple is the last reason to skip out on a dance.

On the same night that Tommy and I shared our first kiss and started going out, Chuckie and Nicole Boscerelli also shared their first kiss, making their relationship official. She even told him that if Tommy and I ever got married, that would make him and Tommy brother-in-laws, and Chuckie thought the idea sounded cute.

Of course, this only happened after Tommy convinced Chuckie to get over himself over his first zit, which had broken out earlier that week, and go to the dance, at which time, he found out Nicole also had a zit too, and the two of them, connected the zitty dots, laughing about it, and became an official couple that night. After that, we've been going on double dates most weekends, and as for that blond Zack? Well, I try to only think about him when Tommy isn't around, but the more I think about him, the more I keep asking myself, am I only using Tommy while I wait for Zack to return? And does Tommy really like me? Or is he just being nice because I saved him from having to go to alternative school for the rest of his life? That's when I decided to find out for myself. However, I'm not doing this over the phone or some video chat thing on the computer. I have to find out in person. Seeing I'd be graduating at the end of the school year from middle school, I decided to invite Zack to my eighth grade graduation. Here's hoping he shows.

End of Kimi POV

End of Flashback

Soon, it was starting to get late, as Tommy and Kimi continued to cradle one another in each other's arms, as Kimi tried to block all thoughts of Zack out of her head, when Tommy spoke up.

"Hey Kimi, why don't we head inside and watch Christmas Holiday together on DVD while we dine on some popcorn. I garentee, you're gonna love that movie!" Said Tommy, as he stood up and brushed some dirt off of his pants.

"Well, ok." Said Kimi, as she stood up and they raced one another out of the grassy clearing back to Kimi's house, where they found Chuckie and Nicole were cuddled up in front of the TV, watching Miracle on Thirty-fourth Street.

"Do you mind?" Kimi snapped at her brother, yanking at one of his strands of long red hair to get his attention.

"Ow!" Chuckie exclaimed, as he bolted up right and turned around to face Kimi, who was hanging over the back of the couch.

"What, Kimi? What do you want?" Chuckie snapped back.

"Can't Tommy and I have a turn?" Kimi asked.

"Nicole and I just started watching this movie. Go to your room and watch your movie." Chuckie snapped, as he turned his attention back to Nicole and the movie.

"Come on Tommy." Kimi quietly hissed, as she led him up to her room, where she sat him down on the bed, and started rummaging through her closet, until she found her portable DVD player, and placed it on the nightstand.

While she was rummaging around, looking for her portable DVD player, Tommy couldn't help but notice a picture of Zack in a frame on her dresser.

"Wow Kimi, you still talk to Zack?" Tommy asked, as Kimi stood up from searching through her closet and turned to stare at him.

"Zack? What do you mean? I haven't seen Zack since the fifth grade." Said Kimi firmly, her hands on her hips.

"Hey, don't have a cow, I was just, asking." Tommy replied.

Not wanting to talk anymore about Zack, she ran over to her dresser, snatched up the picture, and shoved it into her sock drawer.

"Ok, well, I found my DVD player. Let me get it set up and we can watch our movie." Said Kimi, as she got things ready.

"Ok. Come to think of it, my barmitspha's coming up. Maybe I ought to invite Zack to come to that. I mean, we haven't seen him in years, and he was a close friend back in our elementary school days." Said Tommy.

"First Rachel? Now Zack?" Kimi snapped.

"What? Is there anything wrong with me inviting Zack to my barmitspha?" Tommy asked.

"No, I guess not. I was thinking of inviting him to our eighth grade graduation at the end of the year, if that's all right with you." Said Kimi.

"It's fine by me. I mean, it's not like, you're two timing, are you?" Tommy asked.

Kimi looked down at the floor before responding.

"No I guess not." Kimi lied, as she muttered quietly, down at the floor.

"What was that?" Tommy asked.

"No! I'm not!" Kimi shouted at the top of her lungs, as she picked up the DVD copy of Christmas Holiday off of a pile of assorted things in the corner of her room, and tossed it at Tommy, who caught it mid air.

"Ok ok. Do you want me to leave? Cuz you're getting a bit, too emotional for me to deal with tonight." Said Tommy.

"Well, you keep talking about Zack. I don't wanna talk about Zack, ok? Just, avoid the subject of Zack! Please?" Kimi begged.

"Ok ok, I won't talk about Zack anymore." Said Tommy, as he put the movie into the portable DVD player, and started it.

Kimi just sat down on the bed next to him, as the two of them, not making any contact what so ever with one another, watched the movie in silence. Little did one another know what had already happened. Kimi had long since decided to invite Zack to her eighth grade graduation, knowing that poor Zack wouldn't get a graduation until his senior year in high school, so she sent off the invitation earlier in December, while Tommy's parents had already unknowingly invited both, Zack and his aunt to attend Tommy's barmitspha, provided Celeste could get some time off of work, and it wouldn't effect school for Zack, as they knew the year started and ended at a slightly different time out where he lived than it did out in California.

After the movie ended, Kimi had curled up on her bed, pretending to fall asleep, hoping that would get Tommy to leave.

"I'm sorry Kimi." Tommy whispered, as he tucked in who he thought to be a sleeping Kimi, turned out the lights, and left for home, as it was getting near his curfew, and he didn't wish to get in trouble over holiday break.

Once Kimi couldn't hear a single noise, except for her brother's snoring in the next room, proving that Nicole had long since gone home, and he too, was now in bed, she got up, switched on her light, and pulled the picture of Zack out of her sock drawer, studying it for a very long time.

" _Oh Zachary, I love you more than anything, but how can I love you and love Tommy? I'm being a two timing back stabber, and I just, don't know how to get myself out of this jam. Here's hoping you can come to my graduation, and we can work something out. I think I can spare to put up with this secret love triangle that's in my head for now for another six months, before going public. The only question, who's heart to break on graduation day? Tommy's? Who I've known since before I moved away from Paris? Or yours Zack, the one who I have to call my true best friend since we were babies._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she placed the picture of Zack back into her sock drawer, then pulled out her phone, and composed a text message to Zachary.

She simply wrote, Merry Christmas Zachary in the message, and sent it off. She would have loved to have called him, but she had resorted to texting only since she and Tommy started going out, so that nobody would suspect anything. But deep down, she knew eventually, she wouldn't be able to keep up with these charades, and she only hoped by next Christmas, she'd finally be together with the boy she admired most, and the one she had to let dangle, would have moved on to find another.

Meanwhile, Zack was getting to enjoy the Christmas party that year, as his aunt was hosting it, causing all of his aunts, great aunts and uncles, cousins, and maternal grandparents to attend. He was enjoying some of his great aunt Vicky's pumpkin spiced eggnog, when he felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket, while the stereo was softly playing Silent Night. He picked it up to see he had a text from Kimi, wishing him a Merry Christmas. Excited to finally see a text from Kimi, as he hadn't seen anything all day, he looked up from his phone and smiled, just as Vicky approached him with a refil of eggnog.

"Somebody seems acceptionally cheerful this evening." Said Vicky, as she refilled Zack's glass.

"That's because I just received a text from a very good friend." Said Zack, as he took a sip of his drink.

"Was it from Kimi sweetie?" Celeste asked, as she sat down across from him in the room in an easy chair, eating some fruit cake.

"Yep." Zack replied.

"Oh, that reminds me, I have some good news." Said Celeste.

"What is it?" Zack asked.

"Recall last week, we received two invitations in the mail, one inviting us to Tommy's barmitspha, and another, inviting us to Kimi's eighth grade graduation, and you asked me if we could go, I said I'd have to think about it, and put in the time off work?" Celeste asked.

"Uh huh, what about that?" Zack responded.

"Well, earlier today, I spoke with my boss, and he said it would be ok for me to take off for those two weekends in May and June of next year. So, we're going." Said Celeste.

Zack was so excited at hearing this news, he nearly dropped his eggnog on the floor. He couldn't believe he'd finally get to see Kimi again in person, after being away for nearly three years.

" _Maybe now I can finally confess my true feelings for Kimi next summer. And maybe, just maybe, I can finally talk to her again, and find out why she's resorted to text messenging for so long, as it does seem a bit strange. We were talking on the phone nearly everyday in January, then, come Valentine's Day, the conversations just, stopped. No matter, texts are better than nothing at all, so I'll be happy for what I do have._ " Zack thought to himself, as he took a sip of his eggnog, and tried to enjoy the rest of his holiday, as he got out his phone, and shot Kimi a text message back, wishing her, a very Merry Christmas.

By the time the alert went off on Kimi's end though, she had long since fallen asleep, thus, she wouldn't see it until the following morning.

And this, ends chapter 12. So, what will the verdict of this possibly soon to be romantic couple be by the following Christmas? Find out tomorrow, when we return, another year later, post the events of Kimi's eighth grade graduation, and Tommy's hbarmitspha.

Author's Note: Some of the events foreshadowed in this chapter, were looked back at in the first chapter of my story, Driving Disaster.


	13. The Christmas Parade

Author's Note: I do apologize for once again, getting behind on this story. Between finishing up the semester, ccelebrating my birthday, which, I'd like to publically thank everyone on Fan Fiction for the lovely birthday wishes, whether it was through PM's, writing a special story in my honor, or both, thank you so very much! A pun on something the Rugrats might say, you guys are the bestest friends a fan fic author ever had! Without further a due, while I still have a tiny bit of writer's block, hopefully, this chapter comes together ok in the end.

Chapter 13, The Christmas Parade

Fourteen-year-old Kimi was in her room, curled up on her bed, with her cell phone pressed to her ear, completely getting lost in her conversation with Zack, as they shared a few sweet moments on the phone together. Everyone was in high school now, and over the previous summer, Zack and Kimi had shared their first kiss as an official romantic couple while Zack was attending Tommy's barmitsfa, and over the summer, while the bulk of the gang thought Kimi had taken an internship at a sushi bar in Japan, to spend some time with her biological father and maternal grandparents, in actuality, she had gone off to Wheeling, West Virginia, where she and Zack spent the entire summer together. She worked at a local frozen yogurt shop called What's the Scoop, and their relationship grew. But unknowingly to either Zack or Tommy, Kimi had only put herself in a secret love triangle, where while Kimi secretly bounced between the two boys, Tommy and Zack still had no clue what the little Japanese teen was up to, and it would only be a matter of time, before they found out.

"So what are your plans for Christmas Zachary?" Kimi asked into the phone, a goofy grin on her face, as she listened to the soothing voice of her blond boyfriend on the other end.

While his voice was still changing, it didn't sound as squeaky as some boys did during this time in that awkward stage known as puberty.

"Well, my aunt and I will be leaving in an hour for the annual Christmas party. This year, my maternal grandparents, Liz and Harold are putting it on, and I hear that grandma Liz is making her famous banana bread this year. Mmmm! I can taste it already!" Said Zack, as he lay on his bed, licking his lips in thought, as he'd glance over at pictures of Kimi he had lining his dresser.

Just as Kimi was about to speak, Tommy walked into the room, dressed in a Santa suit. Hearing the quiet footsteps, she looked up and saw who was in the room, so saw to quickly wrapping up her conversation with Zack.

"Uh, I've gotta go. I'll try to call you later. Merry Christmas." Said Kimi quickly into the phone, as she hung up her cell and put it into her pants pocket before Zack could get in another word in edge wise.

Once her phone was safely pocketed, she sat up on her bed and stared over at Tommy standing in the doorway.

"Uh, who was that?" Tommy asked.

"Uh, just, wishing my dad and half sister Kiki in Japan a Merry Christmas." Kimi lied.

"I thought Kiki was in a performance of the Nutcracker, playing a reindeer." Said Tommy.

"Uh, she is, but that's not until tonight, and it's only early morning in Japan right now." Said Kimi.

Though truthfully, she was lying, as while her half sister was in the Nutcracker, the performance was the previous week, before Christmas eve.

"Now, I've gotta ask you something. Why are you dressed up as Santa Clause?" Kimi asked.

Tommy just gave her a look like she was dumb.

"What?" Kimi asked, rolling her eyes at him.

"Don't tell me you forgot." Said Tommy.

"Forgot what?" Kimi asked.

"Tonight's the Christmas parade in Sandiego, remember? I, president of the Yucaipa High Film Club, am dressed as Santa Clause, and we're going, along with selective members of the Drama Club, to represent our school in the parade, dressing up as well-known Christmas characters, and singing Christmas carols." Explained Tommy.

"But, Mister Salmon told me I only had to go as an alternate." Kimi replied, as she slumped back on her pillows.

"Well, I take it you didn't check your school email today. Clarissa got ill, so come on Kimi, put on your elf costume and let's go." Said Tommy, as he walked into Kimi's closet, and returned a few seconds later, holding her elf costume in his hand.

Kimi just gave him a look of embarrassment.

"No way! I am not wearing that, thing, in public!" Kimi snapped.

"Awe, come on Kimi, you'll look cute!" Said Tommy, as he blushed and smiled at her.

Kimi took a deep breath, as she stared over at Tommy as Santa Clause, and gave him a small smile. Truthfully though, she was thinking about Zack, and if he had been there, she wouldn't care. She would do anything for him. But somehow, something inside her told her she couldn't just, do anything for Tommy. She was starting to wonder if she really liked Tommy anymore, or if she was only using him because she didn't have Zack's shoulder to snuggle on, or his tender lips to kiss everyday. She stood up and let out a sigh, as she slowly approached Tommy, and took the elf costume out of his hand.

"Ok ok, you win, I'll go get changed. I'll be back in about ten minutes." Said Kimi, as she left the room with her elf costume in hand, and went into the bathroom, but not without passing by Chuckie in the hallway, who was all dressed up for a Christmas party.

"Going somewhere?" Chuckie asked.

"Yes, I'm going to the Christmas parade out in Sandiego. They need me as the alternate elf." Said Kimi reluctantly, as she made her way into the bathroom.

"Well I'm off to Nicole's Christmas party. Have a good time." Said Chuckie with a smile, as she headed downstairs and ran out the door where Nicole's dad was waiting in the driveway to pick him up.

Kimi made her way into the bathroom, grabbed a quick shower, and changed into the elf costume. When she emerged, she found Tommy, still in his Santa costume in the hallway, as he studied Kimi up and down, enjoying how cute she looked.

"You look cute Kimi! Ready to go?" Tommy asked, taking Kimi's hand, and leading her to the top of the stairs.

"As ready as I will be I guess." Kimi replied, staring down at the floor, not making eye contact.

She really didn't want to go, as she figured eventually, Zack would get bored at his grandparents Christmas party, and want to talk, but she had to do her part for the school's drama club, so she and Tommy left for school, where they made it in time to catch the schoolbus that would be taking everyone who was participating in the parade, from Yucaipa to Sandiego.

Once everyone was seated on the bus, Kimi snuggled up next to Tommy, when a couple of people dressed up as reindeer, including Phil and Lil, walked by.

"Uh oh, Misses Clause better watch out. Santa's flerting with one of his elves." Said Phil, as he chuckled.

"Stop is Phil." Snapped Kimi, as she gave him an annoyed look, her face turning red.

"Besides, Misses Clause is not even remotely interested in me. She's interested in Paul, who went off to Maine for the holidays, remember?" Tommy replied, as he pointed across the isle to where Susie Carmichael, dressed as Misses Clause was sitting.

"Oh, hi guys, looking forward to the parade?" Susie asked, as Phil and Lil in their reindeer costumes took a seat behind her.

"We sure are, right Kimi?" Tommy asked.

Kimi silently nodded, as she turned back towards Tommy and snuggled up with him, as the bus continued to speed down the highway towards Sandiego. Eventually, she fell asleep, where she awoke, and discovered that Tommy and Zack had switched places, and now, Zack was dressed as Santa, and somehow, Kimi and Susie had switched costumes, as Susie was now dressed as an elf, and Kimi was Misses Clause.

"You ready sweetie?" Zack asked in the dream, as they got off of the bus, and found miles of snow before them.

Kimi looked around in confusion.

"Wait a minute Zachary, aren't we suppose to be in Sandiego? Where on earth did all of this snow come from?" Kimi asked.

"Didn't you hear? You're marching with me in the Christmas parade in Wheeling, and we got a foot of snow this winter." Zack replied, as he took Kimi's hand, and they walked over to the start of the line, where they got into a sleigh, that was being pulled by several donkeys, that were dressed as reindeer.

"Donkeys?" Kimi asked, confused.

"Yeah, my great aunt Vicky couldn't get any reindeer, so she settled for some donkeys instead." Zack replied, as he grabbed a hold of the reins and the parade took off.

Then, something unexpected happened. Zack's sleigh took to the sky.

"Wow! I had no idea donkeys could fly." Kimi replied, as she looked around, as snowflakes started to come down.

"Anything for my little dumpling." Said Zack, as he reached in, and gently kissed Kimi on the lips.

Kimi closed her eyes and snuggled tighter into Zack, as the sleigh continued to soar through the sky.

"Oh Zachary, this is the best Christmas ever." Kimi whispered into his ear.

"Anything for you Kimi." Said Zack, as she fell asleep on his shoulder.

"Kimi? Kimi are you there? Earth to Kimi, wake up." She heard Zack say, but the last couple of words quickly changed into Tommy's voice, as he was shaking her awake.

"Oh Zack, tell me when we land, I'm cold and tired." Kimi muttered out loud.

"I'm not Zack, I'm Tommy. Come on Kimi, wake up, we're here and the parade is going to start soon." Tommy yelled in Kimi's ear, as she sat upright, looking around, realizing she was no longer in a donkey drawn sleigh in the sky.

She was back on the bus, wearing her elf costume, as she saw Susie dressed as Misses Clause exit the bus, along with Phil and Lil as reindeer. She and Tommy got up and joined the others, as they departed, while Tommy went to the front of the line with Susie, and Kimi went and found the other members of the Drama Club and Film Club, who were dressed up as elves, taking her spot.

"Ok everybody, are we ready?" Mister Salmon asked the group.

"Yes Mister Salmon." All of the students replied in unison, as they all took their places in the line of the parade route, and started singing their first Christmas carol, Deck the Halls.

The parade carried on, as they marched along, singing the songs they were singing on the route. While this was going on though, Kimi couldn't wait to get finished, so she could head home, and hopefully talk to Zack one more time, before it got too much later, seeing he still lived three hours ahead of her time, and his aunt didn't like him being on the phone passed two o'clock in the morning.

Before Kimi knew it, the parade had ended, and they were rebording the bus, where she distracted herself on the ride back to Yucaipa, California, by playing the moble version of U-Gotta-Go on her phone, as she had recently downloaded the U-Gotta-Go app with a check she had received in the mail from her biological father Hiro, who sent her some Christmas money this year, since sadly, she and Kira couldn't make it to Japan for the holidays, due to business being slow at the Java Lava as of late, making finances tight this holiday season.

"Uh, Kimi, we're back at school, and your mom is outside, waiting for you." Said Tommy, as he nudged Kimi in the ribs to get her attention.

She looked up from her U-Gotta-Go game on her phone, and noticed where they were.

"Oh, sorry." Said Kimi, as she put up her phone, got off the bus and ran over to where her mother was waiting in the parking lot.

"So, how did it go Kimi Chan?" Kira asked, as she and Kimi got into the car and drove back home.

"It was fine." Kimi replied in a plain voice, sounding bored.

"Is there something wrong sweetie? You don't sound too happy." Kira replied worriedly.

"No mom, I'm fine." Kimi said, as she frowned and stared out the window, as Kira pulled into the driveway, and Kimi got out of the car, ran upstairs, and quickly changed out of her elf costume and into her soft pink pajamas.

She then curled up in bed and before putting her phone on the charger, she saw she had missed a text from Zack. She opened the message to see what he had to say.

"Saw you had signed into the U-Gotta-Go server to play a game. Sorry I couldn't play with you, was busy at my grandparents' Christmas party. The banana bread was delicious. Sorry you couldn't have any, I think you would have liked it. Merry Christmas Kimi." Read the text message, along with some heart emoticons and some smilie faces.

Kimi noticed her phone was only at ten percent battery, so she composed a quick message, before her phone completely died.

"Merry Christmas Zachary. Heading off to bed, will talk tomorrow." Kimi wrote in her text message, before sending it off to Zack, placing her phone on the charger, and rolling over and going to sleep.

Out where Zack was, he too was in bed, but he was at his grandparents house on an air matress in the living room, because they had invited them to go sledding with his cousins the next day, and the big hill for sledding was closer to his grandparents house than his, and Aunty Celeste didn't feel like going home and returning the following day, so they stayed the night at his grandparents.

While the party was going on, Zack felt a vibration in his pocket, and found it was a text alert from the U-Gotta-Go app, alerting him that one of his contacts was online playing, if he wanted to join them on the server. Zack was the one to introduce Kimi to the app while she was out visiting the previous summer, and got her hooked up. However, it wasn't a good time for him to be busying himself with U-Gotta-Go, as if his aunt knew he was getting distracted by his phone, she might ground it from him for the rest of the school vacation, and he didn't wish to have that happen, so he ignored the message, and once everyone had gone to bed, he sent Kimi a text back.

He was about to roll over and get some sleep, when Kimi's reply came in. Noticing that she was heading off to bed, Zack sat up and quietly composed a reply to Kimi, so as to not awaken his other cousins and his aunt, who were all sleeping in the room on air matresses and in his aunt's case, the sofa bed.

"Goodnight my little dumpling, Merry Christmas." Zack wrote in the text message field, before he sent it off, and he, too, fell asleep.

Back at Tommy's house, when he got off the bus, he ran over to his brother and father, who were waiting in the car in the parking lot. Tommy got in the back seat, as Dil was riding shotgun, and he didn't wish to make him move.

"So T, how did the parade go?" Dil asked, as Tommy shut the door behind him and put on his seatbelt.

"It was great! Susie sang beautifully, and thanks to her beautiful singing, we all managed to sing on key." Tommy replied, as Stu drove everyone home.

"That's great Champ." Stu replied, as they pulled into the driveway.

When they got out of the car, Tommy ran upstairs and changed out of his Santa costume, and into a pair of dark blue flannel pajamas that Lulu had made him as a Chanukah present that year. Then he went downstairs and fixed himself a cup of hot chocolate and sat down at the kitchen table.

He sat down at the table and started sipping on his hot chocolate, as Dil took a seat across from him, wearing a pair of flannel pajamas similar to Tommy's, only they were dark purple, rather than dark blue, and like Tommy's, Lulu made them for him as a Chanukah gift that year as well.

"Something wrong T?" Dil asked, as he stared across the table at his older brother, who appeared to be somewhat lost in thought.

"Oh nothing D, I was just, thinking about Kimi. She seemed a bit distracted on our ride back to school." Tommy replied.

"Is she still into that U-Gotta-Go moble app game?" Dil asked.

"Yeah, I caught a glimpse of her playing it on our way back to school." Tommy replied.

"Don't sweat it bro. Kimi still likes you, she just, well, she can't think about it every second of the day, so she's gotta do something else, or else, she wouldn't have no life." Said Dil.

"And you call obsessing over aliens a life?" Tommy asked his brother, as he refilled his hot chocolate and added some marshmallows.

"Hey! At least Kimi isn't steeling pennies from the mall fountain to buy more U-Gotta-Go cards, like her brother did a few years ago." Said Dil.

As Tommy sat back down at the table, he and his brother had a good laugh over that memory from a few years back, when Chuckie went through a brief obsession over U-Gotta-Go, right around the same time Angelica got her very first cell phone. Now, seemed everybody had cell phones, and U-Gotta-Go caught up with the times, keeping everyone distracted. No matter, Tommy put Kimi out of his mind for the moment, as he enjoyed that late Christmas eve with his younger brother, sipping on hot chocolate and enjoying the quiet Christmas atmosphere.

And this, ends chapter 13. Will Kimi and Zack have to spend anymore Christmases apart from one another? Find out next time.

Author's Note: A brief callback to the All Grown Up episode, U-Gotta-Go from season 3, came up in this chapter. And while I don't recall Dil being present at the fountain when Chuckie dove in for pennies, I'm sure he heard about it later, hince, knowing of it and being able to recall the events a few years later after it happened.


	14. The Best News Since Sliced Bread

Chapter 14, The Best News Since Sliced Bread

"She shoplifted?" Zack asked into the phone, shocked at the news he had just found out from Kimi.

"Yes Zack, Angelica shoplifted a dress back at Thanksgiving from Gracy's Department Store, to wear to Savanna's Christmas party." Kimi replied into the phone.

"So what happened?" Zack asked.

"Well, Angelica got caught, and she ended up having to work in a tailor shop for the past month, to learn how much work goes into making clothes. She made a beautiful blue vest with gold buttons on it, which she was originally, going to give to her boyfriend Harold at the time, but he has since, moved away to Connecticut and broke up with Angelica in the process." Kimi explained.

"So what happened to the vest?" Zack asked.

"Well, tonight at the Christmas party, which was hosted by Drew and Charlotte, Angelica apologized for her bad behavior as of late, and she gave to vest to her cousin Tommy, who looks really good in it. Then, Tommy had to make a confession to me. He was originally, going to make me a movie for Christmas, but his camcorder broke before he could finish it, so he gave me a lovely pair of saffire earrings instead." Kimi replied.

Zack just looked down at the floor for a minute, feeling a bit bad that he was once again, stuck in Wheeling, West Virginia, for the fifth Christmas in a row, and that all because of his distance, Kimi was being showered with gifts from Tommy, instead of him. Realizing this fact, Zack let out a sigh of disappointment into the phone.

"Is something wrong Zachary?" Kimi asked on the other end.

"Oh nothing. I just, wish, we could be together." Zack replied with a sigh of disappointment.

"I wish we could too Zack, in fact, if there's only one wish I could really want this year, it's, to be with you again. I mean, Tommy's great and all, but you're my true best friend, and over the last few years ever since you moved away, Christmas is just, not the same without you." Kimi said, as tears came to her eyes, and she started to cry.

"Oh Kimi, don't cry. I miss you too, but someday, in due time, I know, that God will bring us together, because he knows, where we truly belong." Said Zack.

Kimi sniffled back some tears, before speaking up.

"You think so Zack?" Kimi asked, as she sniffled back some tears, and wiped her eyes with a tissue.

"I know so." Zack replied on the other end of the phone, with a huge grin of hope on his face.

No sooner had he said this, when he heard his aunt calling his name from downstairs.

"Uh, Kimi, I need to go, my aunt wants me." Said Zack.

"Ok Zachary. Merry Christmas." Said Kimi.

"Merry Christmas." Replied Zack, as he hung up the phone, and ran downstairs to see what his aunt wanted.

He got downstairs to find her putting her coat up on the hook, which told him she had just walked in the door from work, a little bit earlier on Christmas eve than she did the last time she had to work on this particular holiday. She took a seat in her favorite easy chair in the living room and smiled. Zack sat down on the couch across the way, and smiled back, as if his aunt was smiling, it meant she had some good news, but he didn't realize until a minute later, just how big and joyous her news was.

"Well Zack, did you have a nice day?" Celeste asked.

"Sure did, and I even got to talk to Kimi. We were just on the phone when you got home." Said Zack.

"Oh, I'm sorry I interrupted your phone conversation, but I have some really big news, that I think is going to make your Christmas brighter than ever." Said Celeste.

"Are we leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for Yucaipa, California? Will I be spending new years with Kimi and the gang?" Zack asked excitedly, like he were a little kid on Christmas morning, anxiously trying to figure out what was in the wrapped packages beneath the tree.

"Well, it does have to do with Yucaipa, California, but you're off by a few weeks." Said Celeste.

"Huh? What's going on Aunty Celeste?" Zack asked.

"Ok, I'd better just spill the beans then. Well, I had a meeting with my boss at the radio station today. Turns out the lady who took my place at Radio Disney in California was recently fired, and I've been asked to return there and take back my old position. My current boss had spoken with my old boss yesterday, and I was approached by my current boss about it at the staff meeting today." Explained Celeste.

"So does this mean we're moving back to Yucaipa?" Zack asked excitedly.

"It sure does. I'll be able to leave the radio station here come the middle of next month, and so come the end of January, we'll be taking a cross country trip back to California, and sometime between the twentieth and thirtieth of January, we should be back in the place you call home." Said Celeste.

Zack was speechless over the best news he heard all day. Without saying a word, he burst off of the couch and ran across the room like an excited child, embracing his aunt in the tightest hug imaginable.

"Oh Aunty Celeste, you're the best aunt ever!" Said Zack excitedly, as he continued to hug her.

"I knew this would cheer you up. You've been so depressed and miserable since we moved here, I couldn't say no to this job. If anything, I not only did it for me, because while I like my job, I'll admit, I don't care much for this town myself either, I did this more or less, for you." Said Celeste.

Zack just stood back and smiled at his aunt. He knew her to take extra special care of him, but in the fourteen years he had been alive, this had to be by far, one of the best things she had ever done for him. Finally, no more Christmases alone, and provided they were still a couple come next Christmas, the next year, he'd get a Christmas with Kimi. Not over the phone, but in person!

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've just gotta go tell Kimi the good news!" Said Zack, as he burst out of the room back up to his room, where he picked up his cell phone and quickly dialed Kimi's number.

Unfortunately, the phone was off, as it went straight to voicemail. He hung up without leaving a message, thinking he might call their house phone, until he looked at the clock on the wall, and saw it was getting near one thirty in the morning. This meant it was half past ten at night where Kimi lived, and there was a rule in their house that no phone calls to their house phone after eleven were permitted. While he did have thirty minutes to make the call, if Kimi's phone was off, it probably meant she had gone to bed early, which was no surprise, as she had been out for the evening at Angelica's family's Christmas party, it's quite possible she was exhausted, and turned in early. Seeing how late it was, Zack decided to shut out the lights, and get some sleep himself.

" _Just one more month to go in this hell whole, before I am reunited with the woman, of my dreams._ " Zack thought to himself, as he was about to roll over and get some sleep, when out of the corner of his eye, via the nightlight and glimmer of moonlight shining in through the window, he spotted one of the most recent pictures of Kimi on his dresser.

It was her school picture from this year, and the fifteen-year-old Japanese girl didn't look so much like a little girl anymore. She was maturing into a beautiful woman physically, and the thing that really turned Zack on about this, was what Kimi had on top. Her figure was looking more grown up, as she actually had boobs. And these boobs, made Zack stare for what felt like forever, as he couldn't wait for next month to get here, so he could see Kimi in person, as while she was starting to get more of a figure the last time they saw each other, well over a year ago at this point, she was far from how she looked now.

An hour must have passed, as he stared at that woman in the photo, as the clock on the wall read two thirty. Realizing this fact, he turned over, and went to sleep, feeling the happiest he had been, in over five years. As he drifted off to sleep though, he decided that maybe it would be more special, to surprise Kimi with his return in another month. Therefore, he wouldn't tell her, or anybody else back home what was going on. Not yet anyway, as he was eager to see the looks on all of his friends faces, when he returned.

And this, ends chapter 14. So, how will Zack's first Christmas back in Yucaipa, California with Kimi go? We'll find out, in the next chapter, so please, do stay tuned!

Author's Note: The events that Kimi and Zack were talking about over the phone towards the beginning of this chapter, are a reference to another story I released well over a year ago now called Pay the Price, as the Christmas this chapter took place during, was the same Christmas that story took place at as well.


	15. The Promise Rings

Chapter 15, The Promise Rings

Another year had gone by, and that secret love triangle that had been a thing amongst Tommy, Zack and Kimi for roughly three years, was no more. Zack moved back at the end of January, right around the time when Tommy and Chuckie would be getting their driver's licenses, and right in time, for them to take a road trip to see their favorite band in concert. Unfortunately, a punishment in school delayed them getting their licenses, so Tommy snuck out with his learner's permit, and while they drove to the concert, they faced a terrible blizzard, that caused them to skid off the road into a forrest.

While stranded, Tommy and Zack were confronted by Chuckie about how Kimi really felt, and the two boys now knew of the secret love triangle that had been going on for the past few years. This caused a fight to break out, that for Tommy, cost more than a few friendships. His stupidity led him to taking Zack's Reptar skateboard out on the icy roads, which caused him to get into a terrible accident, that left him with several fractures that eventually healed, and a lifetime of eternal blindness, never to see the light of day again. However, while poor Tommy was now blind, and without a girlfriend, Zack got the opposite end of the ordeal, as now, he had Kimi to himself. Realizing this, and with it being his first Christmas back in the place he called home, Zack decided he wanted to make it special. Unfortunately, he had only turned fifteen a couple of months ago, so didn't have his driver's license yet. Little did he know though, that Kimi, had a similar idea, and unlike Zack, she had her driver's license for a hair over three months come Christmas time.

One night at the dinner table, Kimi overheard her father Chaz, telling Kira and the others about his first Christmas with the rest of the gang. They all went up to a cabin in the mountains, and to try to make Christmas special for Chuckie, he dressed up as Santa and came down the chimney. While this didn't exactly work out, only scaring Chuckie more, when the real Santa Clause showed up at the door, it made the holiday worthwhile. Overhearing this memory though, gave Kimi her brilliant idea.

" _I know just what I wanna do this Christmas for Zack._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she finished the food on her dinner plate that late October evening.

Noticing she was lost in thought, her mother spoke up.

"Is something on your mind Kimi?" Kira asked.

"Oh nothing. I was just, thinking about an idea of something I wanna do special for me and Zack's first Christmas together since he moved back from Wheeling, West Virginia that's all." Kimi replied, as she started helping her mother clear the table.

"Well, what did you have in mind Kimi Chan?" Kira asked.

"After hearing dad's story about that Christmas he spent up in the mountains, I was wondering if for one weekend, I could borrow the car, and take Zack up to a cabin in the mountains? I've been saving my money from working at the Java Lava, so I can afford this. Please?" Kimi asked.

"I'll have to think about it dear. You and Zack would be all alone. I also don't know if his aunt will let him go off like that with you by yourself." Kira replied, as she started washing up dishes.

Kimi just let out a reluctant sigh, figuring it might not work out. In the event she and Zack were stuck on somebody's living room couch at another dopy Christmas party that season, she figured she'd better have a backup plan. So come sometime in November, when she had some time off work, and not too much homework, she went out to the jewelry store at the mall, and picked up a promise ring. She found one with an emerald stone in it, which was Zack's favorite color.

Meanwhile, Zack had no idea of this cabin surprise that Kimi was planning, but after what they had been through together for the past nearly six years, he didn't wish to lose Kimi again, so one day in mid to late November, when he was by himself, he asked Chuckie and Nicole to drive him to the mall, as he was still practicing driving, getting lessons from Stu since his aunt was totally blind, and not much use for this job. Stu however was working on a deadline to finish up an invention by, so was a bit too preoccupied for a driving lesson at the moment.

"What do you need to go to the mall for Zack?" Chuckie asked, as they rounded the corner into the parking lot.

"Oh, just, picking up a little something special for Kimi." Zack replied.

One would think Chuckie would be paranoid with Zack going out with his younger sister, but as expected, the seventeen-year-old had matured a lot since that carving in the wall incident so many years ago at Halloween, that he didn't really care. Plus, he remembered what Nicole had told him after the winter carnival dance in seventh grade, only putting Zack in place of Tommy. If his sister did marry Zack someday, it would make them brother-in-laws, which could be fun.

"Wow! What did you have in mind?" Chuckie asked.

"Something special, but I'd rather, keep it a secret, if you don't mind." Zack replied, as Chuckie switched off the car and he, Nicole, and Zack got out and walked into the mall.

Chuckie didn't say anything more, and he and Nicole went off to the cinema to catch a movie they were going to see, while Zack headed straight for the jewelry store, where he, too, picked up a promise ring for Kimi. Only the ring he got for her, had a saffire stone, to match the earrings she received last Christmas, and a pair she wore a lot, even though she and Tommy were no longer a couple. She still enjoyed the gift, and because of how long she had known Tommy, they'd always be friends, even if their friendship wasn't as strong anymore since the breakup, she wasn't going to get rid of something just because the guy broke up with her. Besides, she always liked Zack a lot more in a romantic sense than Tommy. She more or less, used Tommy while Zack was too far away to cuddle with.

Another thing that Zack noticed upon getting home from the mall that night, was his aunt was on the phone, talking to Kira. Unknowingly to Zack, Celeste was letting Kira know that it was ok for her nephew to go up to this cabin in the mountains that Kimi wanted to take him to for Christmas. Luckily, Zack didn't overhear that part of the conversation, since Kimi wanted to keep it a surprise.

Finally, Christmas eve came, and Kimi stopped by Zack's place at around noon time that day. Zack was already dressed in his holiday best, wearing a bright red sweater, blue jeans, and white sneakers, while Kimi showed up at the door, wearing a dark green sweater, blue jeans, and black sneakers.

"Ready to go my little dumpling?" Kimi asked, as Zack opened the door.

"Where are we going?" Zack asked.

"Just, somewhere special. Oh, but you may wanna pack some winter clothing, and a few overnight things. I'll wait for you." Said Kimi, as she walked into the apartment and took a seat on the living room couch.

"I'll try to pack quickly." Zack replied, as he rushed off to his room, and got a small bag of things together, as well as the promise ring he had picked up for Kimi, which he stashed away in his jean's pocket.

Unknowingly to Zack however, Kimi had secretly spoken with Peter, and asked him to head up to the cabin that morning, and help get things ready, as in the end, she didn't have quite enough money to rent the cabin overnight, so Peter chipped in some money, which Kimi agreed to pay him back once she had enough. Soon, Zsack had his stuff packed, and came back into the living room, where Kimi was waiting, and watching A Charlie Brown Christmas on TV.

"I'm ready Kimi." Said Zack, as he picked up the remote off of the coffee table, and switched off the TV.

Ordinarily, Kimi would have been annoyed with such a rude jesture, but instead, she smiled, took Zack's hand, and the two of them, walked out to the car in the driveway, and piled in.

"Ok Zack, close your eyes." Said Kimi, as she started up the car and pulled out into the street, heading in the direction of the mountains.

Zack knew why she wanted him to do this, so he obeyed without questioning her, and before he knew it, the car had stopped. He figured when it came to a complete stop, it was safe for him to open his eyes.

"Ok Zachary, you may open your eyes now." Said Kimi, as the blond opened his eyes and looked around.

He was amazed at the white blanket of snow that covered the ground. It felt like a winter wonderland. A minute later, Kimi and Zack got out of the car, where Kimi came around, and took Zack's hand, as they walked together through the snow. Having a little bit of fun, Zack, now wearing a winter coat and gloves, picked up some snow, made it into a snowball, and playfully threw some into Kimi's face.

"Hey!" Kimi cried playfully, as she picked up some snow and threw it into Zack's face.

The two of them giggled for several minutes, as they continued to throw snowballs at one another, thinking back to the last time they ever did that. The last Christmas they were together before Zack moved away, after that Christmas concert at school.

"Wow Kimi, does this remind you of something?" Zack asked, as they finally stopped throwing snowballs and headed in the direction of the cabin.

"Sure does." Kimi replied, as she stopped right outside the door, turned to Zack and smiled.

Then, she leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

"The last Christmas we were together." Kimi whispered in his ear.

Zack nodded in agreement, as they both turned their attention back to the door of the little brown cabin, which was beautifully decorated with a wreeth, covered in holly and berries.

"Ready to go inside my little dumpling?" Kimi asked.

"Sure." Zack replied, blushing and smiling.

Kimi opened the door, where they were both met with the aroma of gingerbread cookies, pine needles, as a Christmas tree beautifully decorated with strings of popcorn, lights, and tencil stood in the corner of the room, as well as the glowing warmth of a fire in the fireplace. Peter, who was there, overseeing to everything, was currently in the kitchen, finishing up the gingerbread cookies, which had another minute to go in the oven.

Once inside, Kimi led Zack over to a red couch that sat across from the fireplace in the living room, had him sit down, remove his coat and gloves, and she took that along with his overnight bag, and asked him to stay put. He didn't mind, as he was cold, and wanted to warm up. Kimi went off to the small bedroom where she stashed their stuff, then went out to the kitchen, and quietly told Peter it was safe for him to leave, giving the couple a bit of privacy. She also thanked him for helping her get the place ready, and for his financial help.

"It's no problem Kimi, happy to help." Peter whispered into Kimi's ear, so that Zack wouldn't accidentally overhear them talking.

Peter then snuck out the back door, and Kimi got the gingerbread cookies out of the oven, and placed them on the counter to cool. Once this was done, she headed back into the small living room, where she took a seat on the couch next to Zack, who was engrossed in a game on his phone. So as to not seem rude, she gently tapped him on his shoulder to get his attention. Zack looked up from his phone to see that Kimi was sitting next to him, so he stopped his game, put his phone away, and leaned back, snuggling up close to her, as the two of them quietly enjoyed one another's company for several minutes, as the fire continued to burn in the fireplace, warming the room. Finally, they couldn't stand the silence anymore, so Zack turned to Kimi with a smile, and spoke up.

"This is by far, the best Christmas present, anybody could have ever given me. This cabin, and just us, alone together. Thank you Kimi." Said Zack.

"My thoughts exactly. You're very welcome Zachary. Merry Christmas." Whispered Kimi, as she reached in, and the two of them, shared a kiss with one another.

After they finished their kiss, both, Kimi and Zack pulled small jewelry boxes out of their pants pockets and presented them to one another.

"Is that for me?" Kimi asked, looking down at the small box that sat in Zack's lap.

Without saying a word, Zack opened the box, took out the ring, and grabbed Kimi's hand, slipping the ring on to her finger. Kimi stared down at the saffire stone that sat up top her finger, then back up at Zack.

"Oh Zachary! It's beautiful!" Kimi exclaimed.

"You're welcome Kimi. Whenever you wear this ring, I want you to be reminded that this ring, means my promised undying devotion, to be your boyfriend forever." Said Zack.

Kimi sat there, smiling, realizing what Zack had given her. A promise ring, something she was sorry he hadn't given her before he moved away a few years ago, but it was official. They were now a couple, and she couldn't help but be silently happy over this news. Once she had a few minutes to take it all in, she presented her ring to Zack. Just as he did a few minutes ago, she opened the box sitting in her lap, took his hand, and slipped the promise ring on his finger.

"And this, Zachary, is for you. A ring promising our undying love to one another." Said Kimi, as she slipped the ring on to Zack's finger.

He stared down at the emerald stone that sat before him, then turned his attention back at Kimi and smiled.

"Thank you Kimi." Said Zack in a soft tone of voice, as he leaned in, and the two of them, shared another kiss.

They then cuddled up together on the couch, as the sun started to set in the sky, casting a beautiful red glow on the snow outside the window, as Zack and Kimi curled up together, and fell asleep in one another's arms, as the fire died down in the fireplace. Several hours later, the two awoke and Kimi made Zack a delicious dinner of miso soup and chicken and dumplings. And for dessert, they decorated their gingerbread cookies, and traded them with one another, just as they did so many years ago at that advent workshop.

Before they knew it, Christmas day was there, and they had to leave the cabin and head to Peter's Christmas party. They did just that, where the rest of the gang, all except for Tommy, who sadly awoke with a terrible migraine headache, so he stayed home that year on Christmas, saw the promise rings that Zack and Kimi exchanged with one another, and congratulated them. Even Jesse made it to the party that year, as he had moved back from Connecticut not long after Zack returned from Wheeling back at the beginning of the year, but while Zack had been away for only five years, Jesse had been away for eleven years, not being with the gang since preschool.

"Congratulations Zack my man." Said Jesse with a smile, as he high fived Zack.

"Thank you Jesse." Replied Zack with a smile, as the two boys walked up to a refreshments table, and got themselves some punch.

"Wow Kimi this is great!" Exclaimed Lil, as Kimi showed her the promise ring.

"I know Lil, I've never been so happy in my entire life. I have to say, this had to be by far, one of the best Christmases I've had, in a very long time." Said Kimi with a smile, as she and Lil shared a hug, and sat down on the couch with plates of cookies, as the two girls enjoyed one another's company, and listened to the Christmas music that Peter had playing quietly on the stereo in the background.

Soon, Jesse and Zack returned to the couch, Zack sitting on the opposite side of Kimi from Lil, and putting an arm around his girlfriend, while Jesse sat down next to Lil, who was now his girlfriend, and he, too, put an arm around her and smiled. Across the room on a love seat, sat Dil and Phil, the homosexual couple, who started going out earlier that year, as the two of them shared their love for one another, by grossing everyone else out by sending wods of spitballs at each other. And then, walking into the room and sitting down in two easy chairs with plates of cookies and cups of punch were Chuckie and Nicole, who shared smiles with one another and started dining on their Christmas snacks. Peter, who was still single at this point, walked into the room, and looked around at his friends and couples that sat around him, enjoying their snacks.

"Merry Christmas everybody." Said Peter, as he took a seat on a stool near the stereo, and changed the CD to the Beach Boys Christmas album.

"Merry Christmas!" Shouted everyone else in the room in unison, as they cheered and went back to enjoying their snacks, silently enjoying one another's company.

And this, ends chapter 15.

Author's Note: I do apologize for taking so long to get this chapter posted. I started it earlier in the day, only to develop some writer's block, not to mention, I was growing tired, so I took a nap, which lasted nearly seven hours, telling me I more or less, slept at an odd time from 2:30 in the afternoon, up until 9:10 at night, but do I really care? No, I don't! I am on vacation, so as far as I'm concerned, if I wanna goof up my sleep schedule, that's totally fine by me. Also, in that chapter, I made references to my story, Driving Disaster, as well as the Rugrats episode from season 2, The Santa Experience, and the All Grown Up episode from season 5, TP + KF. Hope you all enjoyed that chapter, and now that I'm on break, and there's only ten days until Christmas, let's see if I can stick to releasing one chapter a day in this story as originally promised for the rest of the Christmas season, up until Christmas eve, when I'll release two chapters, just to play it safe. Also, I'll be releasing some other new stories this week, as well as completing another one that's been on the list to get completed over the Thanksgiving holiday, but didn't due to my cable going out, screwing things up at the time. So, to put it simply, be looking for more stories from me, very soon.


	16. The Fight

Author's Note: Thanks to rewatching the Christmas episode of Full House from season 6 on DVD this morning, and paying attention especially to the part of the episode that was a conflict between D.J. and Steve, I was inspired with an idea for this upcoming chapter of the story. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 16, The Fight

It was now everybody's senior year in high school, except for Dil, who was a junior, though he was having thoughts of taking his GED's at the end of the year, being able to graduate with everybody else. However, because of this fact, it made everyone a little bit melancholy this holiday season, because with the idea of everybody splitting off and going to different colleges around the country next year, they were worried they might not be together for Christmas anymore. And for Zack and Kimi, they were no acception. Two days before Christmas, Zack stopped by Kimi's house, with some really exciting news. The doorbell rang, and Kimi answered it, to see Zack standing there, a huge smile on his face.

"Hey Kimi, I have really exciting news that I had to share with you in person." Said Zack.

"What is it Zachary?" Kimi asked.

"Remember a couple of months ago when I applied to M.I.T.?" Zack asked, jogging Kimi's memory.

Kimi nodded.

"Well, I got in, and I'm going to be majoring in robotics!" Said Zack excitedly.

"Oh Zachary, how wonderful!" Said Kimi excitedly, as she reached through the threshold, and gave Zack a huge hug.

However, when she stood back, she looked away, her smile fading to a frown.

"What's the matter?" Zack asked.

"What's going to happen to us?" Kimi asked.

"Nothing. I'll just, be in Boston out in Massachusetts, instead of here." Said Zack.

"Oh." Said Kimi disappointingly.

"Look, I wish I could stay, but I need to get home and help my aunt finish decorating the Christmas tree. She has off today while tomorrow, she's working, just as she always seems to do on Christmas eve." Zack replied, as he turned to walk down the sidewalk to his car and head for home.

"Don't forget Zack, the party this year is at Tommy and Dil's, and it's on Christmas day, because Dil has to work at Radioshack tomorrow." Yelled Kimi from the doorway, as Zack disappeared to his car and drove off.

Kimi closed the door and ran up to her room where she got dressed into some warm clothes. Then, noticing that everybody was still gone, as Chaz was busy at the Java Lava, Chuckie was helping out there, and Kira was off doing some volunteer work at a homeless shelter, Kimi used this opportunity to escape to the mall, and get that really nice pair of black boots that Zack was admiring in the shoe store's window. Luckily when she got to the mall, she found a pair in Zack's size, and paid for them with all of the money she had earned working at the Java Lava that Christmas season.

" _Zack's gonna love these! And maybe, just maybe, he'll see that I don't want him to leave town again, as being apart from him for five years was too much. I don't think I can do it again._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she got into the car and headed for home, where she arrived to find it was still deserted, so she got to work on wrapping Zack's present, and stashing it in the corner of her room, ready to give to him the following day on Christmas eve, when they agreed to exchange their gifts with one another.

The following day, it was Christmas eve, and while Chuckie was off spending a day at the ice skating rink with Nicole, Kimi had Zack come over, where they enjoyed some quality time together, and exchanged their Christmas gifts.

"Open mine first." Said Kimi, as she handed Zack a rather large box wrapped in shiny blue paper.

Zack opened the present and pulled out the pair of shiny black boots.

"Oh wow! It's that pair of boots I saw at the mall! Gosh Kimi, you really didn't have to do this. I mean, I know you don't have a lot of money to begin with, and I thought we had an agreement to not spend a lot of money on one another for Christmas." Said Zack.

"Oh Zachary, I don't care about money. I care about us. And I care if you're happy. So what if you didn't spend that much money on me. It's the thought that counts." Said Kimi, as Zack handed her a red gift bag.

"Oh, great." Said Zack with a smile, as Kimi pulled a wod of white tissue paper out of the bag, and unwrapped it to find a yellow M.I.T. sweat shirt.

"It's an M.I.T. sweat shirt, you like it? It truthfully, was all I could afford this Christmas." Said Zack.

"Yeah, it's really great." Said Kimi sarcastically, as she stormed off to her room.

A minute later, Zack followed Kimi up the stairs and knocked on her door.

"Kimi? Can we talk?" Zack asked from the other side of the door.

Kimi came up to the other side of the door, but didn't open it.

"Talk I'm listening." Kimi snapped from the opposite side of the door.

"Look, Kimi, I'm sorry, but again, it's all I could afford." Said Zack.

"Oh come on Zack, so you're going to some brainy school. I mean, you read for fun!" Said Kimi angrily from the other side of the door.

"Oh, and I suppose you're gonna spend your life working at your parents, dinky old coffee shop?" Zack asked sarcastically.

"Hey! My dad does a good job running that shop. And it's not like I haven't thought about going to college." Said Kimi.

"Sure. You only applied to Berkly, Stanfard, and the University of California. You're such a coward Kimi. I mean, there's like, forty-nine other states, and a gazillion other colleges you could apply to. Why stay so close to home?" Zack argued.

"Oh, and I suppose you've been investing in the stock market or something? And you didn't even think about me when you applied there! Did you forget that we were apart for five years when you and your aunt moved to Wheeling? Can you honestly say you can do that again?" Kimi argued.

"Well why did you buy those boots for me anyway? Were you bribing me to stay?" Zack asked.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you said that." Said Kimi, as she opened the door, and stared angrily at Zack.

"Fine! If the boots fit, wear them." Shouted Zack, as he tossed his new boots in Kimi's face, and stormed down the stairs, slamming the front door behind him.

As soon as Kimi heard the door slam, she thrust herself down on her bed, and had a good cry, knowing this might be the end for her and Zack, all because of a stupid argument over going off to college at the end of the school year.

The following day on Christmas, everybody gathered together at Stu and Didi's for the annual Christmas party, and Peter came dressed up as Santa Clause. Everybody was having a great time, except for Kimi, who kept ignoring the vibrations from her pocket, which were Zack texting and calling her, as he felt bad about yelling at Kimi the previous day, and wanted to make up with her. Everybody was dancing to Christmas music, or enjoying one another's company, chatting and filling up on holiday treats. Dil and Phil were sitting on the couch, sharing a plate of Christmas cookies, Chuckie and Nicole were off on one side of the room, slow dancing to an instrumental version of Silent Night that was playing on the stereo, Jesse and Lil were sharing a kiss under the mitheltoe and dancing along with Chuckie and Nicole, and even Tommy had a girlfriend this Christmas. A pretty brounette girl named Vanessa, who started dating him last February, after Tommy returned to school post getting over Monno. They were curled up on one end of the couch, with Vanessa resting her head on Tommy's shoulder. Soon after, Dil's best friend since seventh grade, Lance showed up, with his girlfriend Chelsea, who was up from Florida for the holidays, paying him a visit. Seeing everybody together with their significant others, really made Kimi feel lonely, so she excused herself from the party in the living room, and went into the kitchen, where she found Kira and Didi chatting with one another at the table. She sat down in an empty chair and buried her face in her hands.

"Is everything ok my little Kimi Chan?" Kira asked.

Kimi looked up at her mother.

"Yeah, it's great, I'm having a wonderful Christmas." Kimi replied sarcastically.

"Are you sure? That's the same look your father had when they canceled his nature documentaries last year, and the same look your brother had a few years ago when his favorite comic book character, Armadillo Dave was discontinued." Said Kira.

"Why does Zack have to go off to M.I.T. I mean, we were apart for five years when he and his aunt moved to Wheeling. I don't think I can do it again." Said Kimi, as a tear started to roll down her cheek.

"Oh sweetie, it's going to be ok. Where's M.I.T. anyway?" Kira asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mom, you don't know? M.I.T. stands for Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and it's located in Boston." Kimi replied.

"Well, have you explored other options? I mean, last I recall, you only applied to colleges in California. There's lots of other options you haven't considered yet. You know how important this is to Zack, why not apply to some colleges out in Massachusetts." Suggested Kira.

"That's what Tommy did. He's tired of being in California, and after writing that review for the movie Ray for the school paper a couple of years ago after losing his eyesight, and having to give up his dream career of being a director, he's applied to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, majoring in journalism." Said Didi.

"Funny you mention that Didi, as back in middle school, when we all took that aptitude test, my score came back claiming I'd be a good movie critic, while Tommy's came back, claiming he'd be a good business man. And does everyone remember Lightning Chuck?" Kimi asked, as she burst out laughing, just as Chuckie walked into the room to refil his drink, overhearing their conversation.

"I heard that." Said Chuckie, his cheeks turning red.

"Oh Chuckie, you are such a cluch." Said Kimi.

"Don't remind me." Said Chuckie, still looking embarrassed.

"I remember when you were learning to drive, you drove so slow, that you got a ticket for doing so." Said Kimi.

"Enough!" Yelled Chuckie, as he grabbed himself some more ginger ale, and left the kitchen to return to the Christmas party.

Once Kimi's laughter died down, Kira turned her attention back to her daughter.

"So Kimi, why don't you think about what I said, hmmm?" Said Kira.

"I don't know mom. I mean, Zack did argue that I gave him that gift to buy his love." Said Kimi.

"Well sweetie, did you spend all of your Java Lava money on those boots, so he'd change his mind about leaving?" Kira asked.

"Of course not! Why would I do that? I bought him those boots, to show him how much I loved him, so he wouldn't leave." Kimi said, as she turned away and frowned, realizing that it's exactly what she did.

"Ok ok, so I did do that, but I had a good reason for doing so." Said Kimi.

"Look, your cell phone bill might be a monster, but you and Zack made it work for five years while he was away in Wheeling, what makes you think you can't do it again." Said Kira.

"You know what mom, you're right. But maybe I haven't considered all of my options. I'm gonna prove to Zack that I really care about him, and that I'm not a coward. Didi, is there a computer around here I can borrow?" Kimi asked, as she stood up from the table.

"I believe Dil left his computer on, I'm always shutting it off late at night after he falls asleep, when I check on the kids before going off to bed." Didi replied, as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Great. Let me know when Zack and Celeste arrive." Said Kimi, as she headed upstairs to Dil's room, where she thankfully discovered he had left his computer on, as she was presented with the desktop screen.

She clicked on the Internet Explorer icon, did a Google search for colleges in Boston, and came to the first college on the list, the website for Boston College. She went on to the website, and started filling out the online application, as she's taken up an interest in going to medical school, and she saw that they had an excellent nursing program. Meanwhile, when Zack hadn't heard from Kimi all day, and he saw that his aunt had dressed up as Misses Clause for a Christmas party at her work, Zack went and rented a Santa costume to wear to Stu and Didi's Christmas party, hoping he'd get Kimi to talk to him again. Once he and his aunt were all set, they showed up at the Pickles residence, where Dil let them in.

"Wow! Santa and Misses Clause? I had no idea you two were showing up." Said Dil, as he let Celeste and Zack inside.

"Well who else would we be?" Celeste asked, removing her hat.

"Oh wow, so you're really getting into the Christmas spirit Celeste, eh? Cool!" Said Dil, as he popped a star shaped Christmas cookie in his mouth, and went and joined his friend Lance, at a game of Ches that was set up on the coffee table.

Celeste made her way into the kitchen, just as Zack went to the bottom of the stairs, as he looked around the living room, and didn't see Kimi anywhere in sight, but he saw her mother in the kitchen, and Chaz and Chuckie in the living room, so figured she had to have come to the party too, as unless she was sick, it wasn't like her to miss any Christmas parties. So he went to the bottom of the stairs, cleared his throat, and disguising his voice, he called up the stairs.

"Ho ho ho!" Called Zack in a disguised voice, making him sound like Santa Clause.

Kimi was wrapping up the application for Boston College, and was about to print it out, when she overheard the mysterious ho ho ho from the bottom of the stairs. Something told her, she'd better get it printed out, if Santa was indeed, there watching her. Once it was printed, Kimi headed down the stairs, to find Santa Clause before her.

"Wow! Santa Clause! It's really you!" Exclaimed Kimi.

Santa nodded and smiled.

"I wish you were really Santa Clause, then I'd have you bring Zack to me to apologize. I mean, I really was selfish. I didn't care about him and how he got to go to the college of his dreams. All I cared about was myself, and not wanting him to leave. I'm really sorry, and if you can make Zack forgive me, that would be great. And to prove how much I love him, and I don't wish for us to be apart, honestly, I'm not a coward. Look." Said Kimi, as she held out the application for Boston College and presented it to Santa Clause, who looked it over.

"If I get into this college, Zack and I can get an apartment together in the city, go to our respective schools during the day, and be together every night. This plan will work out in our favor, and I'm sure I can apply for Financial Aid and afford this school." Said Kimi, just as Peter dressed as Santa Clause passed through the entry hallway at that moment.

He turned and noticed the other Santa Clause at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well well well, it seems there's been an imposture between us." Said Peter in his Santa voice.

"Wait a minute. If you're Peter, then who's the Santa Clause that's looking over my college application?" Kimi asked.

Just then, Zack removed the fake beard he was wearing and his hat, to reveal his hair and face.

"Oh my gosh! Zachary! It's really you!" Kimi exclaimed, as she bolted down the stairs and squeezed Zack into a tight hug.

"Well, Santa never interrupts an apology." Said Zack.

"Really Zack, I am very sorry. I'm happy you got into M.I.T. and I'm gonna do whatever it takes, for us to be together." Said Kimi.

"I know you will. All my life, I've seen you as a strong person." Said Zack.

"But yesterday, you called me a coward for not applying to any colleges outside of California." Said Kimi.

"I did? Well, I guess, I didn't mean it. I guess I was just, mad. I'm really sorry." Said Zack apologetically.

"I'm sorry too. Merry Christmas." Said Kimi, as she tenderly kissed Zack on the lips.

After they finished kissing, Zack looked into Kimi's eyes and smiled.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Zack said, as he took her hand, leading her off the bottom two steps, and the two of them went into the living room, and enjoyed the rest of the Christmas party together.

And this, ends chapter 16. So, will they be together in Boston the following Christmas, once they're high school graduates and in between their first two semesters of college? Find out tomorrow, when I return with another chapter.

Author's Note: I own the OC's of Vanessa, Lance and Chelsea, as this was one of the Christmases that took place during my story, A Blind Teen's Gotta Do, what a Blind Teen's Gotta Do, and a small reference was made to that story towards the beginning of this chapter. Also, I made reference to two episodes of All Grown Up later on in the chapter, when Kira and Kimi were talking. The episode entitled, Bad Aptitude, from season 2, and the episode entitled, Super Hero Worship, from season 5. And I'd better stop typing, because I keep getting clumsy with the keyboard, nearly forgetting words in my author's note here, having to correct myself constantly. So with that, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, which, I put my own twist on the ending. In the original Full House episode, Steve decided to stay in California, not going to college in Florida, while in this case, Kimi decided to branch out and apply to a college in Boston, since she realized how much going to M.I.T. meant to Zack. With that, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and, more will be coming soon.


	17. Christmas on The Red Line

Author's Note: I apologize for not getting a chapter released in this story yesterday. To put it simply, Olaughlinhunter's birthday only comes once a year, thus, his birthday party story took priority, and by the time I had concluded that story, with a small break to have the fire department replace the smoke detectors in my apartment, I was plumb exhausted. I also was still suffering from a little bit of writer's block, but I believe I have this chapter and the next two chapters figured out, so may go on ahead and get three chapters up today, since tomorrow I'm gonna be busy with my nephew, thus, getting me ahead of the gang a little bit. Without further adue, let's get started.

Chapter 17, Christmas on The Red Line

Over the past year, Zack and Kimi did graduate from high school, and as planned, back in September, they both started college in Boston. Kimi attended Boston College, going for a degree in Nursing, while Zack attended his dream college of M.I.T. getting a degree in Robotics and Computer Programming. And while they were attending separate colleges, they got an apartment together in Brookline, being able to see one another before and after classes. However, while they enjoyed being in the Boston area and going to school, they did miss their families out in California, so as soon as their first semester ended and final exams were completed, they bought plane tickets to fly home for the holidays, returning shortly after the new year to get ready for their second semester of school. Unfortunately, the only flights that had any seats available were on Christmas eve, getting them home just barely for Christmas.

On the morning of Christmas eve, bright and early, Zack and Kimi left their apartment and borded the Red Line T line, which would take them to Logan Airport, where they would soon be on the plane to California. They hopped on the T and found two empty seats, as it pulled out of the station.

"This is going to be such a great Christmas Zachary. Even Chuckie will be home from Penbrook, and last I checked his Facebook wall, he was very lonely up at school." Said Kimi, as she snuggled up close to Zack to get warm, as it was particularly cold, a mear twenty degrees fairenheight that morning, and being from California, she wasn't use to the below freezing temperatures.

"I know right? I've never been away from my aunt for so long! She's looking forward to seeing me, as I am looking forward to seeing her. And yes, it will be great to see all of our friends again, and catch up on how everybody's been doing at college. We never even got a chance to go visit Tommy at MCLA, and he was only three hours away from us." Zack said, as the T continued to speed down the track, making stops at other places on the way to the airport.

They only had two more stops to go, when they started hearing funny noises coming from the train.

"What's that noise?" Kimi asked upon hearing some funny mechanical sounds.

"I don't know Kimi." Zack replied.

The two of them sat there in silence, concerned if the train was all right, as the normally fast moving train, slowed down to a snail's pace, until it stopped completely, in the middle of the track. Soon, it was an erie silence, and it was dark outside of all of the windows, as they were under ground, in between two stops.

"We apologize for the interruption people, but we're experiencing some technical difficulties. Please hang tight, we hope to have these resolved shortly." Said the conductor over a loud speaker.

Hearing this news, Kimi started to panic.

"Now Kimi, don't panic. We still have another hour to make it to the airport and board our airplane." Said Zack reassuringly, hoping to calm his girlfriend down.

"But what if we don't make it? My family will be so disappointed!" Kimi cried.

"Don't say that Kimi. We're gonna make our flight, and everything's going to be ok." Said Zack, as he put an arm around Kimi's shoulders, and brought her in for a hug.

Kimi forced a small smile, as she took some deep breaths, and tried to relax. They looked around, and saw the car they were sitting in was deserted, as there weren't too many passengers on board early that Christmas eve day. Curious if there were any other passengers on board, Zack and Kimi got up and walked through the cars. They found an old man reading a newspaper carrying a saxophone case, along with a couple with two twin babies. Feeling lonely in their deserted car, they found an empty seat near the couple with kids, so Zack and Kimi decided to relocate. The father looked up to see the two young college students before him.

"Heading home for the holidays?" The man asked.

"Yes sir." Kimi replied.

"Please, call me earl." Said the man, who was dressed in a long gray trenchcoat, and had red hair and a beard.

"Nice to meet you Earl. My name's Kimi, and this is my boyfriend Zack. We're on our way to Logan Airport, heading home to California to see our families for Christmas." Kimi replied, shaking the man's hand.

"Oh. What brings you out to this neck of the woods?" Earl asked.

"School. I'm attending Boston College, studying to get a degree in nursing." Kimi replied.

"And I'm attending M.I.T. studying robotics." Zack replied.

"Wow! I went to M.I.T. Have a degree in computer programming." Said Earl.

"Really? Neat!" Said Zack excitedly.

Just then, the woman sitting next to Earl, with long brown hair, wearing a blue coat and carrying two tiny babies in her arms, looked up from her breast feeding to see who her husband was talking to.

"Oh, hi honey. Meet Zack and Kimi. Two young college students in the area, trying to get home to California for Christmas." Earl said to his wife.

"Oh, hi there. My name's Francine, and these are our babies, twin boys, Charles and Robert." Said Francine, as she held up her twin boys.

"Awe, they're so cute!" Exclaimed Kimi.

"Thank you." Francine replied.

"How old are they?" Zack asked.

"Three-months-old. We're taking them to visit their grandmother for the holidays. Normally, I wouldn't take my babies out in public at such a young age, but my mother doesn't have much longer to live, and she's been dying to see the little ones. So Earl and I thought bringing them up to her home for Christmas, would be the perfect gift this year." Said Francine.

"She doesn't live in a nursing home?" Kimi asked out of curiosity.

Francine shook her head.

"My mother-in-law has a nurse that comes to the house to take care of her." Earl replied.

"Oh, fascinating!" Said Kimi.

"May we hold the babies?" Zack asked.

"Sure!" Francine said with a smile, as she handed her little bundles of joy to Kimi and Zack.

Zack held Charles in his arms, who was bald and wearing a pair of blue footsy pajamas, while Kimi held Robert, who was also bald, and wearing a pair of green footsy pajamas.

"Awe, they're adorable!" Kimi cried, as she smiled down at the little baby in her arms.

"Hey little guy." Said Zack, as he giggled and cradled the tiny baby in his arms.

They had so much fun with the little babies, making conversation with their parents, that they had hardly noticed how much time had passed. The man with the saxophone looked up from his newspaper, to see what all of the commotion was all about.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but wonder, what's going on?" The elderly man asked, dressed in a suit and tie.

"The train stopped due to technical difficulties, and so far, we're still sitting here." Kimi replied, as she took a glance at her wrist watch, to see that an hour had passed.

Seeing this, her happy smile turned to a frown of disappointment.

"Something wrong?" The man asked.

"Oh no!" Kimi cried, as tears came to her eyes.

"What is it Kimi?" Zack asked, as he and Kimi handed the babies back to their mother, and they excused themselves back to their car where they were previously to talk privately.

"Zack, we just missed our flight." Said Kimi.

He looked at his phone, as he wasn't wearing a wrist watch, and saw that an hour had passed, making it nearly impossible for them to get to the airport in time to catch their flight.

"Now now, don't worry Kimi." Said Zack.

"But Zachary, that was our only chance to get home!" Kimi cried.

"Maybe there's another flight. We might not get there until sometime tomorrow on Christmas, but let's not give up hope yet." Said Zack.

Kimi took a deep breath, and tried to calm down again, for the second time that day.

Another two hours passed, as the two of them started to grow hungry, wondering if they would ever get the train fixed, as the babies in the next car were starting to get fussy, and the elderly man with his saxophone was also starting to get impatient.

"Look! I'm missing my office's annual Christmas party! I've been asked to play Christmas carols there. So, can we please, get this train on the track?" Screamed the elderly man, scaring the babies, only making Charles and Robert's cries louder.

"I can't take it anymore!" Kimi screamed in frustration, as she was out of patience at this point.

"Hey! What's the matter with you people. So who cares if we're stuck in this subway on Christmas eve." Zack started to explain, before the elderly man cut him off.

"It's a T." The elderly man snapped.

"Whatever. Anyway, like I was trying to say, many years ago the first Christmas was in a stable in a manger. If they could have Christmas in the middle of nowhere, then so can we. Even in this T. Because outside the snow is falling, and friends are calling you who." Said Zack, as he started to sing Sleigh Ride.

Soon, everybody on the T joined in singing, and the elderly man pulled out his saxophone and started playing along. Before they knew it, the train started up again, and Zack and Kimi made it to their final destination, Logan Airport. Upon getting off the train, as they were walking the block from the T station to the airport, Kimi smiled at her boyfriend.

"Thank you Zack for cheering me up. You made me remember just what this holiday is all about." Said Kimi with a smile.

"You're welcome sweetheart." Zack replied with a friendly smile, as they entered the airport.

Unfortunately, their friendly smiles faded, when they found out there were not going to be anymore flights to California until new years eve, because of a possible snow storm that was headed for Massachusetts, that may be causing flights to be grounded until further notice. Disappointed, the couple left the airport and went to a nearby Starbucks, before making the treck back home to their apartment in Brookline, where they texted their families and gave them the sad news that they wouldn't be home for Christmas. After Zack texted his aunt, she wrote back reminding him that there's in actuality, twelve days of Christmas, so even if they couldn't get home until new years, it would still technically be Christmas for a few more days.

Receiving this news enlightened Zack's spirits a bit, as he was starting to feel bummed that he wouldn't see his aunt this Christmas. Once he and Kimi were satisfied with their coffee and doughnuts at Starbucks, they headed back out into the cold, where snow flurries were coming down.

"Oh Zachary, it is so beautiful out here!" Kimi exclaimed, taking in the sight of the snow flurries, casting a beautiful view on the buildings surrounding them.

Zack looked around, taking in the beautiful sight, as he turned to his girlfriend and smiled.

"You're right Kimi, it's like being in a snow globe." Zack commented, as they made their way back to the subway terminal.

They caught the next Red Line train for Brookline, as they headed for home, thankful that this one didn't break down, allowing them to get home just as the sun was starting to set. Once they were inside, unbundled, and sitting on the couch in their small living room, Kimi looked over at Zack and smiled.

"Aren't you sad that we didn't make it home for Christmas?" Kimi asked.

"Nah, my aunt understood what happened, and she reminded me that there are twelve days of Christmas. So even if we head home for new years, it will still technically be Christmas." Zack explained.

Realizing this fact, the two of them broke into chorus, singing The Twelve Days of Christmas. Once they were done, they bumped heads and giggled, as they leaned in and shared a kiss.

"You know what Zack?" Kimi asked.

"No, what?" Zack replied.

"So maybe we didn't make it home for Christmas this year, thanks to a malfunctioning T, but at least we got to be together for Christmas." Said Kimi.

Zack nodded in agreement, as he leaned in and shared another kiss with his sweetheart.

"You're right Kimi, but do you know what would make this Christmas even more special since we're all alone?" Zack asked.

"What?" Kimi asked.

Without saying a word, he led his girlfriend to their small bedroom, threw her down on the bed, and helped her get undressed. Then, undressing himself and putting on some protection, he joined her, and the two of them got engaged in an activity that they could only do together by themselves, away from their families.

And this, ends chapter 17. How will their future Christmases in college go? Will they ever make it home to visit their families? Find out next time.

Author's Note: Part of the speech that Zack gave while on the broken down T, and having them grounded, was inspired by another Christmas episode of Full House, from season 2, when the Tanner family ends up spending Christmas in an airport. Part of the speech that Zack gave, was similar to the one that Jessie gave to lift everybody's spirits.


	18. Kimi's Internship

Author's Note: I swear, I am no good at releasing one chapter a day in a story, but I assure you, all 25 chapters will be up come Christmas day. Anyway, between growing tired post releasing the last chapter, and putting all my energy late last night into The Splat Trivia game, which I sadly, bombed on during the final hour, because my knowledge of All That and Kenan and Kel is very rusty, I had a lot of fun nonetheless. Without further adue, let's get on with the next chapter, and sorry if I'm once again, a day behind.

Chapter 18, Kimi's Internship

Their first year of college had been a success, and they were well into their second year of college, and what looked like to be their second Christmas in Boston, as Kimi got a nursing internship at Mass General over the winter holiday break in between semesters. She was on break that evening, grabbing a small bag of peanuts and a soda from a vending machine, before she had to get back on duty, when Zack gave her a call, to see how she was doing.

"Don't worry Zachary, my shift ends at eleven." Kimi said into the phone, as she glanced up at a clock on the wall that told her, she only had five minutes left of her break before she had to go back on duty.

"Ok my little dumpling, I'll be there to pick you up at eleven. Don't want my baby roaming the streets of Boston very late at night on Christmas." Zack said into the phone, as he was at their apartment, decorating a small Christmas tree they had gotten for the season, and putting the star on top, as with how busy their lives had been this year, they didn't even get around to decorating their Christmas tree until Christmas day itself.

Kimi just scrunched her eyebrows together, as she felt like a baby when Zack insisted on being there to walk her home late at night in the big city, but she also knew he was only doing it to protect her, so she didn't argue, letting the unpleasant thought go and smiling.

"Thanks honey. I've gotta go. Kiss kiss." Said Kimi into the phone, before she hung it up, put it back into her pocket, and put back on her white nurse's coat, being ready to be on duty.

Her shift started at three in the afternoon on Christmas day, and so far, she had treated a gentleman who came in with a burn on his foot, after dropping the hot turkey he had been cooking in the oven for Christmas dinner, and right before she went on break, she took the blood pressure and the information down for a little boy who appeared to have a broken arm. Apparently, he and his cousins had been rough housing, and the child fell off the couch. It was a sad Christmas not only because she had to stay behind in Boston a second year in a row to do this internship, but witnessing all of these enjuries on Christmas, didn't exactly put Kimi in a cheery mood.

However, she loved helping people, and nurses were there, to help people feel better, and in the grand scheme of things, that's what this holiday was all about. So she gritted her teeth, as she counted down the hours until she could finally go home and spend some quality time with her boyfriend, as she'd get the next day off.

"Nurse Kimi Finster, we need you down in emergency." Said a voice over the loud speaker.

" _Duty calls._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she headed down to emergency, where there was an eldery lady suffering from a heart attack.

Luckily, there were paramedics there, so Kimi didn't have to do this job by herself, but it wasn't an easy job, as this woman was screaming from the chest pains, making it difficult for anybody to do anything, as she was squirming around, only making the pain worse.

"Mam, you need to calm down. You're only making it worse." Kimi said in her calmest voice possible.

Soon, they had the woman on a table and sedated. For this job, while the doctors examined her, Kimi was there to take notes on their observations of the woman's vital functions, etc. Kimi wrote down everything they said in her notebook, then handed it over to the doctor to share with the lady's family that was sitting out in the emergency room.

As the hours of Christmas wore on, Kimi tended to removing a little boy's splinter, fluffing the pillows for a man who was recovering from hip replacement surgery, and administered eye drops for a patient who had undergone Glaucoma surgery two days before Christmas. Originally, he was suppose to have his surgery at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary, but he was transferred to Mass General at the last minute, when his doctor went on vacation, and he couldn't put off the surgery any longer.

"That's the last one Daniel." Said Kimi, as she administered the last eye drop into the patient's eyes and put the cap back on to the bottle.

"Thank you mam." Daniel replied, as he lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes.

"Merry Christmas." Kimi said with a smile before turning to leave Daniel's room.

"Merry Christmas." Daniel replied.

Finally, it was eleven, and Kimi could leave to go home, and to her pleasant surprise, when she got outside of the hospital doors after clocking out, Zachary, wearing his dark blue winter coat and a red scarf, was waiting there for her. Back at the end of the semester, Kimi told him he was welcome to go home for the holidays, as she'd be just fine by herself, but Zack didn't feel right leaving his girlfriend to walk home alone at night in Boston, especially when he saw her schedule, and for the week between Christmas and New Years, she was working the 03:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. shift at the hospital, making her walk home late at night, when anybody could be lurking about in the MBTA tunnels. She tried reasoning with him, but he wasn't going to have any arguing with her, and his decision to stay home was final. Besides, it gave him time to work on an extra credit project he was doing for an upcoming class he'd be taking the following semester at school. He was going to make a doll that would help young toddlers enrich their vocabulary at an early age, and help them improve on sharing and better their motor and social skills. When he posted about it on his Facebook wall, Stu, Tommy's dad wrote back, telling him about a doll he invented some years back called Mr. Friend, and asked if Zack would like to see the blueprints for that invention. He replied with an affirmative to that, so Stu emailed him the blueprints, and using that and his own design, he was working on the skamatics for this robot.

He was so tied up with his project for the bulk of the day, as he let Kimi sleep in that morning, since she had such a late night the previous night on Christmas eve, that they hadn't even opened their presents to one another, and figured they'd just wait and celebrate Christmas the following day, when Kimi had the day off. That, Other than taking a break around dinner time to grab some food and decorate their Christmas tree, he spent the bulk of the day on his project, that is, until he looked up to stretch, and saw it was getting near ten at night.

" _Oh my gosh! I'd better get to Mass General to pick up Kimi!_ " Zack thought to himself, as he bundled up in his winter coat and scarf, and headed for the T, which was on a weekend schedule for the Christmas holiday, so it wasn't running as frequently as it did on normal business days.

He did manage to make it in time, and was pleased when he saw Kimi come out of the building, bundled up in her long pink winter coat.

"Ready to go sweetie?" Zack asked.

"Yes, I am Zack." Kimi replied.

Just as they were about to leave the hospital parking lot and head for the T, they heard some cries of pain coming from a woman nearby in the parking lot.

"What was that?" Zack asked.

"I don't know, but my feet are tired, I'd just, like to go home." Kimi snapped between clinched teeth.

But the painful cry sounded again, which got Zack really concerned, and as Kimi listened, she too got worried.

"Ok ok, it is my duty to help others who are in need, and that woman does sound like she's hurt, so let's go see what's up." Said Kimi, as she and Zack approached the woman in the parking lot.

She was leaning against a dark purple mini van, clutching her stomach, and looked like she was nine months pregnant.

"Mam, what's going on? Can we help you?" Kimi asked the woman.

"I'm… In… Labor…" The woman cried in pain.

"Now now don't worry, we'll get you help." Said Zack, as he gently took the woman's hand, and together, he and Kimi tried to help her head towards the doors of the hospital.

The woman though collapsed in the parking lot, unable to move.

"I can't move. It hurts too much. I think the baby is gonna come any second." Cried the woman in panic.

"Calm down. Breethe. Breethe." Kimi ordered calmly, as the woman took some deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves and do her lamars breathing.

While Kimi had never delivered a baby before, she had seen enough videos of it in some of the classes she was taking in college, that she knew what to do. With Zack's help, out in the parking lot on that cold, winter Christmas night, they delivered the woman's baby, just as a doctor and a security guard came out to see what was going on.

"Oh my!" Exclaimed the security guard, as they saw Kimi with the new born baby girl in her arms.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Exclaimed the woman, as she sat up, exhausted, cold, soar, and happy, and Kimi handed her the new baby, which she had cleaned up with the remaining paper towels that were in her lunch bag, as she took lunch with her to eat on the T on the way to work.

"You're very welcome, and congratulations." Said Kimi with a smile.

"Uh, excuse me, but we should get you and your new child inside at once." Ordered the doctor who was with the security guard.

The security guard went inside and came back with a blanket and a wheelchair, to which he wrapped the baby into the blanket, and helped the new mother into the wheelchair, taking her inside the hospital where it was warm. Once Kimi and Zack saw this woman and her new born baby were being well taken care of, they made a run for the T station, where they managed to catch the last Red Line train going back to Brookline.

By the time they got home to their apartment, they reached the doorstep at one minute to midnight. Once there, they stopped and caught their breaths, as they longingly stared into one another's eyes for a minute before going inside.

"Zachary?" Kimi asked.

"What is it?" Zack replied.

"That had to be, the most, miraculous Christmas I ever experienced in my entire life." Said Kimi.

"I agree." Zack replied.

Then, they stood there for a few more minutes, taking in all they had witnessed within that last hour. Once they got over the shock of what they had witnessed, Zack gently cradled Kimi's cheeks in his hands, turning her face towards his, gazing passionately into her eyes.

"Honey, do you think, we could bring a little miracle into this world?" Zack asked.

"Oh Zachary, we're not even married, let alone engaged, and I do wanna finish school first, but I promise to make that happen for us someday." Kimi replied with a smile, as she leaned in and the two of them shared a kiss, before going inside to get warm.

Once inside, Zack and Kimi changed into their pajamas, and climbed into bed, where the exhausted Kimi hit the pillow and collapsed from exhaustion, not uttering another word.

"Merry Christmas sweetheart." Zack whispered into Kimi's ear, as he gently kissed the top of her forehead, tucked her in, then pulled the blankets on to him, and snuggling up next to her in bed, he too, closed his eyes and went to sleep.

And this, ends chapter 18. So, what will happen the following year? Find out, next time.

Author's Note: Part of this chapter was inspired by an episode of Cousin Skeeter I saw a while back, when Bobby and Skeeter volunteered for a day at a hospital, and helped a woman in an elevator deliver her baby, which I believe she had twins or triplets, I can't exactly remember now, but thinking about that, and thinking about the career path I had Kimi take in my stories, gave me this idea for one of her Christmases while she was studying to be a nurse. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and, there'll be more, coming very soon.


	19. Zack's Internship

Chapter 19, Zack's Internship

While the couple was happy to be landing internships to help them be better prepared for the working world after college, it looked like they'd be spending a third Christmas in Boston, as it was Zack's turn to have an internship over the Christmas holiday, only getting originally, the dates of Christmas eve, Christmas day, New Years eve and New Years day off. However, his aunt couldn't stand a third Christmas apart from her nephew, so she bought a plane ticket and flew to Boston to be with Zack and Kimi for the holidays. Kimi's family would have loved to have come too, but they didn't think it was fair to close the Java Lava for the holidays, as that was one of their best times of year to receive business, and Chuckie was coming home. As much as he loved his younger sister, he didn't wish to spend Christmas in a cold climate, especially since Phil, Dil, Lil, Jesse, and even Tommy were going to be home for Christmas, thus, wanting to be with them for the holidays.

Kimi thought about going home for Christmas, but thinking about the previous year and how Zack stayed there to support her during her nursing internship, she didn't think it was fair to desert Zack during his first internship, working for a database center that specialized in computer programs for a radio station nearby. Originally, Zack was suppose to have Christmas eve off, which made him really happy, as his aunt got in very late the night before, and Kimi was the one to pick her up from the airport, before they went and picked up Zack from work, but at the last minute, Zack's boss asked him to come in on Christmas eve, as the person they were suppose to have come in got sick, and they needed somebody on duty, in the event the Santa tracking program the radio station was using all day on Christmas eve, should malfunction, and they needed somebody to look at it. Zack reluctantly agreed to this, and his aunt Celeste agreed to keep his girlfriend company, as they got things ready for Christmas.

There he sat, alone in a rather large office, staring at his email every so often, to see if a message came in from the disc jockeys at the radio station, needing his help with that tracking Santa program, as he quietly looked through pictures on his iPhone, of Christmases past. He mostly had pictures on his phone from the past three Christmases since he returned from Wheeling, when he and Kimi were together, while most pictures before that, were hard copies stashed away in his dresser drawer back at his apartment. He let out a huge sigh of disappointment, when he thought about how he was sitting there, very bored and lonely, as the only other person who was there that day was the janitor, who spoke very little English, coming in to sweep the floors every so often, and give Zack a hello in what little English he knew. Footsteps approached the door, as Earny looked in to see Zack, twittling his thumbs and checking his email for what felt like the sixtiest time that day.

"Hello." Said Earny in a rich German accent.

"Hello Earny." Zack replied, as he waved and smiled at the man, who smiled back before turning to leave and take care of cleaning he had to do in another part of the building.

Zack leaned back in his chair and sighed, as the hours of Christmas eve slowly passed away.

" _I can't wait to go home and be with my aunt and Kimi._ " Zack thought to himself, as he looked at pictures and Facebook posts on his phone, trying to find things to keep himself occupied, without getting so lost in activities, that he might miss something important.

Ordinarily, they had him working on several projects, but with it being Christmas eve, and not a lot of other people around, as most programming projects were shared amongst the employees at this company, there wasn't much Zack could do. After waiting nearly eighty-seven hours, it was finally six o'clock in the evening, and no emails had come in from the radio station, so he clocked out, and started making his way home post locking up.

As he road the T, he was entertained by a man playing Christmas carols on his guitar. He played Little Drummer Boy, to which Zack sang along with, followed by Blue Christmas, and then, one of Zack's favorite Christmas tunes, I'll be Home for Christmas, a tune he really felt around this time of year, and sadly, felt like he had broken his promise so many times now, he wasn't sure if he could ever live up to the true meaning of that song again.

Finally, the T reached his stop, where he got off, and was happily greeted by Kimi who was waiting for him with a large Starbucks coffee.

"Welcome home Zachary, did you have a nice day?" Kimi asked, handing him his coffee, which he sipped on while they walked the few blocks from the T to their apartment.

"It was long, boring, and the radio station never needed my help. Chances are had I not gone in, their program would have malfunctioned, and I wouldn't have been able to get there quick enough to fix it." Replied Zack as he sipped on his coffee.

"Awe, sorry you were board, but your aunt and I have been having a nice day together." Said Kimi, as they approached the door to their apartment, and walked inside to be met with the aroma of fudge coming from the kitchen.

They came inside to see Celeste in an apron, putting a batch of fudge to cool on the counter.

"Hi Aunty Celeste." Said Zack as he entered the kitchen.

"Hi sweetie, did you have a nice day?" Celeste asked.

"As good as it gets I guess." Zack replied with a sigh.

"It was slow." Kimi added.

"Awe. Well not to worry, I just made some fudge, which ought to cheer you up. It does have to cool, but it should be ready to eat soon." Said Celeste, as the three of them took a seat at their small kitchen table, and talked about their day.

"So, what did you two do all day while I was at work?" Zack asked.

"Well, Kimi and I made Christmas ornaments out of paper called oragomies." Celeste replied, as she picked up a star she had made.

"A star?" Zack asked.

"Uh huh." Kimi replied.

"Can you two show me how you made that?" Zack asked.

"Sure!" Celeste replied, as she reached in for some paper, and showed him how to make a star.

Following his aunt, Zack picked up some paper and made a star, and they decorated the table with their stars.

"I have to say, I've really gotten to know Kimi today, and it's no wonder you two are made for each other." Said Celeste.

Zack and Kimi blushed at her comment, as Celeste got up and served them plates of fudge. Everybody enjoyed their fudge in silence, before Celeste turned on the stereo, and put on a Christmas CD for them to listen to.

Later that night, they ordered pizza for dinner, because Zack was not in the mood to cook, and neither was Kimi, and while Celeste made some fudge, she wasn't the best cook when it came to other foods, and with this being a kitchen she wasn't all that familiar with, they decided they'd rather have something simple, and enjoy one another's company more so than exhaust themselves by cooking. As their dinner of pizza was concluding, Celeste brought up an interesting comment.

"You know, Kimi told me her stepfather tells her that Christmas begins and ends with family." Said Celeste.

"Well, I believe you, but what about Kimi? I mean, her family isn't here." Said Zack.

Kimi nodded in agreement, as she frowned.

"Oh I don't know about that. She's a very sweet girl, and you guys have grown very close ever since you were very little. Kimi, if you don't mind, I'd like to think of you as part of our family." Said Celeste, as she cleared away the dinner dishes and put them into the sink.

"Really?" Kimi asked in surprise.

"Really." Celeste replied, as she came back to the table, and gave Kimi a hug.

Hearing this, Zack smiled, and joined in the group hug.

"You know what Aunty Celeste, you just made my Christmas this year, worth while. Thank you." Said Zack.

"You're welcome sweetie. Now, who's ready to open presents?" Celeste asked, as they finished cleaning up from dinner and went into the small living room, taking a seat on the couch.

"Oh, but Celeste, Zack and I usually open our presents to each other on Christmas." Kimi replied.

"Oh, I take it Zack never told you of our tradition then. Ever since he was really little, I'd always let him open up one present on Christmas eve, and since I'm here to visit the both of you, well, you both get to partake in this tradition." Said Celeste with a smile, as she went over to the Christmas tree, and picked up the two presents she brought with her, handing them to Zack and Kimi, as their Christmas cards on the packages were in Braille, so Celeste could tell which present was for which person.

"Thank you!" Zack and Kimi said in unison, as they ripped the shiny green paper off of their packages and saw what was inside.

Kimi received a beautiful dark purple sweater that Celeste nitted herself, while Zack received a gray hat and scarf to match, also nitted by his aunt.

"I've been taking a nitting class, and made these items for you. I hope you like them." Said Celeste.

"Like them, I love them! Thank you Aunty Celeste!" Said Zack excitedly, as he gave his aunt a hug, and tried on the hat and scarf.

"And you really didn't have to do this, but since I couldn't be with my family this Christmas, it's nice of you to think of me. Thank you Celeste." Said Kimi, as she too, reached in and gave her a hug.

Zack then turned to Kimi and whispered in her ear.

"Do you think we ought to give Celeste the present we have for her tonight? Or wait until morning." Said Zack.

"Let's give it to her now." Kimi whispered, as she got up from the couch and picked up a box wrapped in shiny red paper, and placed it into Celeste's lap.

"This, is for you, from the both of us." Said Kimi.

"Thank you." Celeste replied, as she tore the paper off of the package to reveal a snow globe.

Unlike regular snow globes though, this one was very special, as inside was some kids playing in the snow, with a Christmas tree in the middle and a house, and a train track going around the edge with a train going on the track, and when you shook it, not only did the snow fall down, but the snow globe made sounds, as the sound of falling snow was heard, as well as kids laughing, and the choo-choo of the train, as it went clickity clack on the railroad track.

"Oh wow! An audio snow globe! I heard about these things, but could never afford one." Said Celeste.

"Thank the money we made from our internships, as Kimi stashed away money from her internship last year, and with my first paycheck, I plan to pay her back for my half." Explained Zack.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" Said Celeste, as she reached in and gave the couple another hug, and kissed each of them on the tops of their foreheads.

Zack found this a bit embarrassing, but sweet, as while Celeste was his aunt, she might as well be his mom, since she was more or less, the closest thing he had to a mom since he was very little, and as much as he loved being with Kimi, he was really happy to see his aunt again, as it wasn't easy having to spend the last couple of Christmases without her.

As it grew later, they curled up on the couch and watched Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street together, before they all turned in for the night. As Zack and Kimi were curling up in bed to go to sleep, Kimi turned to Zack and smiled.

"Zachary, thanks for inviting your aunt to spend the holidays with us. She has truly, brightened the holidays this season, giving me a little reminder of what my dad always says, Christmas does indeed, begin and end with family." Said Kimi.

"You're welcome. And yes, I agree, my aunt knows how to make the holidays jolly, but most importantly, she's always been there for me, even when she couldn't be there physically." Zack replied, as he snuggled up next to Kimi.

"I know. Last year, she sent us Christmas cards and a package of pears and chocolates from Harry and Davids." Said Kimi.

"True, and she felt bad for us when we missed our flight two years ago." Said Zack.

"Don't remind me." Said Kimi, as she rolled over to go to sleep.

"Well, Merry Christmas Kimi." Said Zack.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Whispered Kimi, as she yawned and closed her eyes.

Soon after, Zack yawned and closed his eyes to go to sleep, just as snow flurries started to fall from the sky outside their window.

And this, ends chapter 19. What else will be in store for this couple in Christmases ahead? Find out, next time.


	20. Preparing for the Wedding

Author's Note: This chapter is the Christmas right before the events of chapter 2 of my story, The Binding of Zack and Kimi, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 20, Preparing for the Wedding

A lot had taken place over the course of the last year, but the most significant event to take place was the fact that Zack and Kimi became engaged to get married on Valentine's Day, and told their family and friends of the announcement at Tommy's twenty-first birthday in August of that year. Over the past few months, they had been busy with their second to last semester of college, as well as getting ready for their wedding, which would be taking place on the evening of New Year's Eve.

Now, it was Christmas day, just a few days shy of the wedding, and Zack and Kimi spent the majority of their day, cleaning their apartment to make room for the few guests that would be coming up in a couple of days for the wedding.

"Is the guest room bed ready for my parents? Remember, my dad's allergic to feather pillows." Called Kimi from the living room, who was dusting off a bookshelf and going over a grocery list that Zack's aunt had emailed her earlier that day.

"Not to worry Kimi, I made sure to make up the bed with non-allergenic sheets." Called Zack from their guest room, which was their spare bedroom, as he stuffed the last pillow into a pillowcase and placed it at the head of the bed.

He then got started on vacuuming the floor, while Kimi placed the grocery list in her purse, and got started mopping the kitchen. They wanted everything to look perfect, as Kimi's parents and Zack's aunt Celeste would be arriving in two days, and staying through new years for the wedding. They decided to let Chaz and Kira have their spare bedroom, sleeping on the double bed, while Celeste agreed to bunk on the sofa in the living room.

"How are you doing in here?" Zack asked, standing in the doorway of the living room into the kitchen, once he finished vacuuming the guest room.

Kimi looked up from mopping the floor and turned to face him.

"It's fine, but please stay out of the kitchen, as the floor is wet." Said Kimi, as she returned to her mopping.

"No problem. I'll get started on our room and then I'll clean the bathroom." Said Zack, as he went off into their room and got started on the cleaning.

As Kimi continued to mop the floor and clean up the kitchen, she couldn't help but think about how in just a few short days, a day she had been waiting for her entire life, would finally be here. Come the start of the 2033 year, she and Zack would finally be husband and wife, being able to attending their final semesters in college, as a happily married couple. Thinking about this, she started humming every love song she could think of, while finishing her chores in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, in their bedroom, Zack was changing the sheets on the bed, dusting the furniture and vacuuming the floor, as he, too, thought about the days ahead. He remembered that Valentine's day at the Yoga studio, when he and Kimi stayed after class, not only to help him perfect some poses he was having trouble mastering, but to propose to Kimi, something she wasn't expecting in such an odd location, but he felt it was as good a time as any, seeing it was growing late, and once they got home, Kimi would more or less, dive into her studies for the following day's classes, passing out at the kitchen table, as she did most nights at around two in the morning, after she finally finished, while Zack monopolized the bedroom to do his studies, finishing around midnight, unless some computer program he was working on, was taking longer to complete than anticipated. He'd come into the kitchen at around midnight to grab a snack, where he'd check on Kimi to see how she was doing, only to get a simple nod and smile from her, before she quickly returned to her studies, not wanting to forget anything.

As Zack was dusting off some pictures they had on their dresser, he looked at one in particular, taken of the couple last summer when they went to Florida to attend Tommy's twenty-first birthday party, being thrown by his brother Dil and his cousin Angelica, who did it to pay him back for the trouble he went through back at her thirteenth birthday, getting Savanna to move her party so Angelica's thirteenth birthday party could commence. Sadly, Zack was in Wheeling at the time of those events, but he heard about it later on down the road, and thought it was sweet of Angelica to pay Tommy back, seeing that for much of their lives, she was one of Zack's least favorite people on earth. To him, it showed just how much she had matured post going off to college, giving him the reassurance that she was growing up just fine, and would do fine as an adult, in her career as a lawyer post graduating from Harvard Law School. But the picture was even more special, as it showed Zack and Kimi together, right after they made the announcement that they were engaged to get married. All of their friends were so happy for them, and at that very moment, Zack couldn't have been any happier.

"Honey? How are you doing in there?" Kimi asked from the other room, startling Zack from his thoughts, as he was lost in thought, staring at that picture for what seemed to be several minutes.

He quickly jerked away and walked out into the hallway, where Kimi was putting the mop and some dusters away in the closet.

"Fine dear. I'm almost done in the bedroom, and will be getting started on the bathroom shortly." Zack replied.

At that moment, Kimi ran up to her soon to be husband, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Zack spun around to face her.

"Wait a second Zack, I just looked at the calendar, and we've been so busy with getting ready for this wedding, that I completely overlooked the fact that today is Christmas!" Said Kimi.

Zack pulled out his phone from his pocket and glanced at the calendar app, noticing that it was indeed, December 25, 2032.

"Oh my gosh! You're right! And with how busy I've been, I never bought Christmas presents, a card, any food for a feast, or anything!" Zack cried in panic.

Kimi rested a comforting hand on Zack's shoulder.

"Oh now calm down dear, I'm in the same boat as you. I never got you anything for Christmas either, but soon, we'll be getting married, and what better gift could we ask for this holiday season, than tying the knot." Said Kimi, as she gazed passionately into Zack's eyes and smiled.

"You're right Kimi, there's no better gift than our marriage." Zack replied.

"Tell you what. Since it's growing late, and we have to be up early tomorrow to go pick up my parents at the airport, how about if we clean the bathroom together." Suggested Kimi.

"That's a great idea!" Replied Zack, as the two of them headed off to their small bathroom, and got started.

Kimi had already pulled out all of the cleaning supplies from beneath the bathroom sink and placed them on the counter, as Zack came into the room, and put on a pair of rubber gloves, as he didn't much care for cleaning the bathroom with his bare hands. Once they were ready, they got started with the cleaning. Zack cleaned the toilet, while Kimi mopped the floor. Then, they each cleaned their side of the sink, and Kimi wiped down the mirror. Finally, they cleaned the bathtub and shower combo together, Zack cleaned out the bottom of the tub, while Kimi scrubbed down the walls and hosed everything clean with the hand held shower head. Before they knew it, their apartment was sparkly clean, and with doing the bathroom together, they got that room ready in half the time it would have taken for one of them to do it.

"We did it Kimi, we did it!" Zack cheered excitedly, as he gave his soon to be wife a hug.

Kimi giggled and smiled, as the exhausted couple made their way to the living room, and collapsed on the couch. Kimi caught a glimpse out the window to see it was nightfall on Christmas, and Zack saw by the clock on the wall that it was nearly eight o'clock in the evening.

"So what are we going to do for dinner?" Zack asked.

"Well, there's some leftover pecan chicken and grilled asparigus in there from the other night." Kimi replied.

"Let's have that." Said Zack, as he made his way into the kitchen and heated up the leftovers.

Kimi, exhausted, brought herself to move from the couch and set the small kitchen table for two, and within another half hour, the soon to be married couple was sitting across from one another, dining on one of their final meals they'd share as single individuals.

"You know Kimi, your pecan chicken is just as good left over as it is fresh." Commented Zack in between bites.

"Don't thank me, it was Tommy's mom who gave me the recipe." Kimi replied.

"Yeah. Peter tells me the first time I ever ate this recipe, I was barely two-years-old." Said Zack.

"Wow really? Amazing! I can't even remember the first time I ate this meal, but it's all the better when I share it with you." Said Kimi, as she dug into her asparigus.

Zack blushed and smiled.

"And your mom's recipe for grilled asparigus, is to die for!" Commented Zack.

"Thank you." Kimi replied, as they finished up their dinner and cleaned up the dishes together.

Soon, it was half past nine, and the couple was exhausted. In fact, they were too exhausted to stay awake and watch a Christmas movie together on DVD, so rather, they went to bed, and snuggling up in one another's arms, they fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

" _I can't believe in just a few days, we're gonna be saying, I do._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she drifted off to sleep.

" _I can't believe in just a few short days, Kimi and I will be husband and wife._ " Zack thought to himself, as he drifted off to sleep.

It seems that Zack and Kimi at one point during the night, said Merry Christmas in their sleep to one another, but sadly, the other person didn't hear it, because they were so sound asleep, that not even a fire alarm would wake them up.

And this, ends chapter 20. So, how will their first Christmas as husband and wife go? Find out, next time.

Author's Note: A tiny reference to the All Grown Up episode, Lucky Thirteen from season 1, as well as to my stories, Days in the Life of Dil Pickles, and The Binding of Zack and Kimi, were made reference to in this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed this slightly shorter chapter, and, more, will be coming soon.


	21. A Very Florida Christmas

Chapter 21, A Very Florida Christmas

It had been almost a year since Zack and Kimi got married, and seven months since they graduated from college, moved to Pittsfield, and Zack got a job as a database programmer at Deminuon Solutions, while Kimi got a job as a nurse in an eye doctor's office at the Medical Arts Building, relocating closer to where at this point, Tommy and Chuckie were going to school, just forty-five minutes away from them in North Adams, and unknown to them at the time, they lived in the town where Tommy's future wife, Silvia Weller, resided. However, with Tommy and Chuckie being extremely busy with school, and Zack and Kimi being extremely busy with work, get togethers were very slim. But at Thanksgiving in 2033, Zack and Kimi got invited to come spend the Christmas holiday with Lil and her husband of six months, Jesse Barrow, so they put in for time off work, and decided to head down to Florida for the Christmas holiday.

They arrived on the evening of Christmas eve, where Jesse and Lil treated them to dinner at Munchy's, the restaurant where Phil was working, and since Zack and Kimi would have to head home on New Years Eve, their one year anniversary, Phil made them a complementary chocolate cake to celebrate their wedding anniversary a few days early.

"To Zachary Michael Wehrenberg, and Kimi Watanabe Finster Wehrenberg, happy one year anniversary to you two." Said Phil, as he placed the chocolate cake down on the table in front of the couple.

Everyone who was still in the restaurant at this point, including Jesse and Lil, clapped and cheered for Zack and Kimi, as they cut into the cake, and split it up amongst everyone at the table. However, Phil split his piece of cake into another quarter.

"What are you doing Phillip?" Lil asked.

"I'm saving some for Dil. He had to work late at Radioshack, with it being Christmas eve, so sadly, he couldn't join us this evening, and I had already told him about this." Phil went on to explain.

"And you wanted Dil to have a piece of cake." Kimi added.

"Yep." Phil replied, as he took his first bite of cake, licking his lips.

He was finished with his job for the night, so could sit back, relax, and enjoy their out of town guests, which, while Zack and Kimi were staying at Jesse and Lil's apartment, since Phil is Lil's twin, and Dil was his boyfriend, they were just as much a part of this as well, since they had known Zack and Kimi most of their lives.

Once everybody was finished with their dessert, Phil headed off to get Dil from work, while the other two couples headed home to get some sleep, in particular, Zack and Kimi, who were exhausted from a long day of traveling. They dressed into their pajamas and curled up in the guest bed together.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Said Kimi quietly to Zack, as she got comfortable on her side of the bed.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Zack replied in a low whisper, as he, too, got comfortable on his side of the guest room double bed.

They drifted off to sleep, and before they knew it, Christmas morning had arrived. For the first time in ages though, they slept until noon, being able to enjoy a morning of sleeping, and no responsibilities, something they hadn't done in years, between having internships on Christmas, or last year, when they were vigorously cleaning their apartment in Boston, to get ready for their wedding. Once noon time came though, Lil and Jesse were starting to worry if their guests were ok, so they went in their room to wake them up.

"Rise and shine you two." Called Lil in a very loud voice, startling Kimi and Zack half to death.

"Lil." Kimi grumpily said, rolling her eyes at the brounette, who no longer put streaks of color in her hair, now that she was a grown, matured woman.

"I was wondering if you two were ever going to show!" Lil replied.

"We're coming we're coming." Kimi grumbled, as she sat up in bed, pulled on her bath robe, and made her way into the kitchen, where breakfast sandwiches were served.

Zack soon followed, after he pulled on his dark blue bath robe, and sat down at the table, to partake in a belated feast of breakfast sandwiches, which were ham, swis cheese, and scrambled eggs in between two biskitz for the slices of bread.

"Mmmm!" Zack and Kimi exclaimed, upon taking their first bites.

"You like them?" Jesse asked, who was seated at one end of the table, sipping on a glass of milk.

"Uh huh." Zack replied, after finishing his first bite of sandwich.

"Thank you, though it was my brother Phil who taught me how to make them." Lil commented.

" _Wow! You mean Phil managed to teach Lil something, without the two of them arguing, not finishing the job? My have they grown up a lot._ " Zack thought to himself.

"So, who's up for an afternoon at the beach?" Jesse asked, as he finished his milk and cleaned up from breakfast, or more so, technically, brunch, since it was lunch time.

Zack and Kimi nodded, as they had never gotten to go to the beach on Christmas, and thought this would be lots of fun. As soon as everybody was finished with their breakfast, everybody put on their bathing suits, and headed to the beach, where to their pleasant surprise, Dil and Phil were also there, Phil was taking pictures, while Dil was trying to sculpt an alien out of sand.

"What are you doing Dil?" Kimi asked, upon seeing his oddly shaped sand sculpture.

"Making the first sand alien." Dil replied.

" _I see some things, haven't changed._ " Kimi thought to herself, as she lay a beach towel on the ground, set up a beach umbrella, and lay down to get some sun.

Zack looked down at his wife in the sand, who looked so cute, that he couldn't help himself. Without saying a word, he started picking up sand, and burying Kimi in it. Soon, there was nothing showing but her head.

"Hey! Help! Zack's burying me!" Kimi cried playfully, as Zack continued to cover her up, causing at this point, nothing but her one long ponytail she was wearing that day to show.

Phil, Lil, Jesse and Dil all looked over at where Kimi was buried, and started laughing. Zack smiled and laughed too.

"Hey!" Kimi cried, as she stood up, causing the bulk of the pile of sand to land on Zack's head.

"Well just for that, here." Said Zack, as he wrestled his wife to the ground, and they rolled around in the sand, like they were little kids again.

"What are we doing this for? We're grown adults!" Said Kimi.

"Come on Kimi, it is Christmas, and very close to our one year wedding anniversary. Loosen up, and have some fun!" Zack said with a smile, as he sat up in the sand, taking Kimi's hand.

Kimi relaxed and smiled, as she let herself go, squeezing Zack's hand tight. Later, they collected seashells, made a sandcastle, and just as the sun was setting on the Pacific ocean, before they needed to head back to Jesse and Lil's to change before going to Dil and Phil's for Christmas dinner, they shared a tender kiss, and exchanged their Christmas gifts to one another. Zack gave Kimi a necklace with a snowflake pendent on it, while Kimi gave Zack a new brown leather wallet, as his old blue wallet he had been using for years, was in bad shape, and seriously needed replacing.

"Thanks for the necklace Zachary." Kimi said, as she took it out of the box and put it on her neck, letting Zack do the clasp for her.

"You're welcome Kimi. Thanks for the wallet." Said Zack, as he placed the wallet into the pocket of his swim trunks.

"You're welcome." Said Kimi, as they turned their attention back to the setting sun, and watched it go down.

Unknowing to them, Phil took a picture of this to send to them at a later time. Once it was dark, the three couples left the beach, ran home to change, and reunited at Phil and Dil's small apartment for a Christmas dinner unlike any other. The dinner consisted of fish tacos, Spanish rice, and spinach and mushroom casarole. To everybody's surprise, Dil made the spinach and mushroom casarole, and it was edible, while Phil made the other dishes.

"Mmmm! Delicious!" Exclaimed Zack and Kimi in between bites of food.

"Glad you like it." Phil remarked.

Everybody enjoyed the rest of their dinner, making small talk, catching up on one another's lives.

"So Kimi, seeing you and Zack live closer to Tommy and Chuckie now, do you ever get a chance to see them?" Phil asked.

"Nope. With our hectic work schedules, and their busy school schedules, we hardly get any time to see one another anymore." Kimi replied, looking sad.

"I heard Chuckie was going to visit Nicole's family for Christmas with her." Said Jesse.

"I take it you looked at Facebook earlier?" Lil asked.

"Well, technically, I saw something about this posted on Nicole's facebook wall." Jesse replied.

"What's Tommy up to for the holidays?" Lil asked.

"I didn't tell you that T was going home to visit mom and dad? I would have gone, but couldn't get any time off work. Mom and dad do send their love, and I did get a Christmas card in the mail." Said Dil, who showed everyone the Christmas card he had received from his parents.

"Yeah, my aunt sent us a Christmas card, and told us to have fun in Florida." Said Zack.

Everyone smiled, as they finished up dinner and had some apple pie for dessert that Jesse and Lil had made. Soon, it was late at night, and there was nothing to do but to head home, but Phil wanted to do something the gang hadn't done together in years.

"Let's watch a Christmas movie together. Say, I'll be Home for Christmas, starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas?" Phil asked, as he went into his living room and approached the DVD player.

"Oh wow, I haven't seen that movie in years!" Said Lil.

"Me neither!" Added Kimi.

Zack and Dil nodded in agreement, so Phil put on the movie, and everybody curled up on the couch that could fit, while Dil and Phil sat in a couple of easy chairs on the opposite side of the room, as they all sat back, and enjoyed the movie together.

As soon as the movie ended, Zack and Kimi decided they wanted to go for a walk, as it was warm enough in Florida, to take a walk at night. They went outside, and silently holding hands, they took in the warm night air, as they had a little stroll down the neighborhood sidewalk, silently enjoying one another's company.

"You know what Zack, this has to be by far, the best Christmas we've had together, in a very long time." Commented Kimi, as they were making their way back to Phil and Dil's front porch.

"I agree. It's also been quite relaxing too." Commented Zack.

"And that afternoon on the beach, gosh, I can't remember the last time I laughed like that." Said Kimi.

Zack smiled and nodded in agreement, as they turned to see a full moon in the sky.

"Look, the moon." Zack whispered.

"Uh huh." Kimi replied.

They stood there for several minutes, gazing at the full moon, before heading back inside to Phil and Dil's place, where air mattresses were set up in the living room, as Phil had pulled out some drinks, making Jesse and Lil feel uncomfortable about driving home, so the two couples stayed at Phil and Dil's for the night, however, unknown to Zack and Kimi, Dil decided to have some fun. When he set up their air mattresses, he placed down two woopy cushions.

Zack, still sipping on a beer, sat down on his side of the double air mattress to take off his shoes and socks, when he sat on top of the woopy cushion. This sent him, as well as everybody else in the room into explosive laughter, as the sip of beer he had recently taken, came out of his mouth, drizzling everywhere. Likewise, Kimi went to sit down on her side of the air mattress, to take off her necklace and get comfortable, when she, too, sat on a woopy cushion, causing the laughter to only get louder, and for Kimi, to nearly wet her pants.

"Merry Christmas!" Said Dil, as he stood on his head, getting a picture of Kimi and Zack laughing histarically with his iPhone.

And this, ends chapter 21. What will happen the following year? Find out, next time.


	22. Hiro Got Run Over by Prostate Cancer

Chapter 22, Hiro Got Run Over by Prostate Cancer

Zack and Kimi sat at a cemitary in Japan on Christmas eve, being the only two still out at the burial sight after the profession left, Kimi clung tight on to Zack, burying her face into his shoulder and crying.

"Oh Zachary, I'm sorry your first trip to Japan had to be such a sad one." Kimi said in a muffled voice.

"It's ok. I understand you're hurting right now." Said Zack, as he tenderly rubbed Kimi's back and the wind softly blew.

"It's not fair! I hardly got to know my father, all because he and mom split up when I was a baby. And now, we had a perfect opportunity for you to finally meet my biological dad, and he was diagnosed with a rare form of Prostate Cancer three months ago, that took his life, right before Christmas!" Kimi cried, as she started to go into uncontrollable sobs again.

Chuckie, who got some time off, accompanied Zack and Kimi to this funeral, because while Hiro wasn't anybody in his family, he was Kimi's biological father, he loved his sister more than anything, and he also realized how hard this was for her, as he lost his biological mom. Overhearing Kimi's sobs, Chuckie got back out of their rental car, and joined in the hug, coming up behind Kimi, as he lay a gentle hand on her trembling shoulders.

"It's ok Kimi." Chuckie whispered, as the three of them snuggled in the middle of that cemetery, trying to get Kimi to calm down, before they left.

After taking another ten minutes, to get Kimi calmed down, they piled into the car, where Kiki, her now 10-year-old half sister was waiting. She too, was very sad, and also had tears streaking her face.

"Going to movie now?" Kiki asked, as her English wasn't as good as everybody else's.

Kimi nodded, too upset to say much of anything, as she put the car into drive, and drove everyone to the movies. When they got there, they saw it wasn't too late to get tickets for the movie that Kiki had been dying to see, her first time seeing Disney's, The Lion King, which had been released for a limited amount of time in the Japanese theaters. At the ticket counter, Zack and Chuckie picked up English translation headsets, which worked similar to those ones back in the states that would provide descriptive to the blind, only in this case, while the main movie was the Japanese dub of the film, the headsets played the English audio track for movie goers who didn't know Japanese, and for little kids who only spoke English, and were too little to read subtitles.

Zack, Kimi and Kiki found seats, while Chuckie went to the snack bar to pick up some popcorn. He managed to carry it back, without spilling it, making it back in time to catch the previews. Soon, the movie started, and everything went fine, until the stampede scene had concluded, killing Mufasa, Simba's father in the end. Realizing this fact, Chuckie, Kimi, and Zack all exchanged looks.

"Why did we bring Kiki to see this movie?" Chuckie whispered to his sister and brother-in-law.

"I'm sorry, it's been so long since I've last seen this movie, I forgot about the father dying in it as well. I'm terribly, terribly sorry." Whispered Zack apologetically, as he glanced over, to see tears streaming down Kiki's face.

He quickly pulled out some tissues from one of his pockets, and handed them to her. While she sadly, cried throughout the rest of the film, she managed to cry quietly, so as not to disturb any of the other movie goers. Once the film ended, they took her to get some ice cream to cheer her up, as everybody felt bad about what they had just witnessed.

"And I forgot that the father dies in this movie." Zack explained to Kimi's relatives that night at dinner, with Kimi ttranslating in Japanese, to those who didn't speak English.

"Yeah, big mistake." Kimi said to Zack.

"Hey, with everything going on, you aren't expected to be thinking straight right now." Said Zack, as he and Kimi excused themselves from the table, and headed back to their hotel where they were staying, to get some rest.

As they were getting ready for bed, Kimi turned to her husband with a question.

"Zack, this might sound stupid, but is it something I did? I mean, I hardly got to know my father, and now, he's gone." Said Kimi.

Zack just sat down on the bed, his pajama shirt barely over his head, as he quickly finished putting it on, before snuggling up to Kimi and answering her question.

"Kimi, there was nothing, you could do. Prostate cancer, while sometimes, it can be treated, in this case, it couldn't." Said Zack.

"Yeah, but if I had been here, maybe, I could have saved his life. I mean, look at my half sister. Now she's without a father, and she's on the verge of teenage hood." Cried Kimi.

"Kimi, she's still got her mom, and look at your brother. He lost his mom, and while at times, it's hard, he's done just fine, I have no doubt that in time, Kiki will do just fine too." Said Zack reassuringly, as Kimi let out a small smile of relief, and gave her husband a hug.

Then, Zack got a brilliant idea.

"Tell you what. Since we've had such a lousy day, with tomorrow being Christmas, and with it already being Christmas day back in the states, with the time difference…" Zack started to say, before Kimi corrected him.

"Actually, Zachary, it's only seven-thirty in the morning back in the states, as we're fourteen hours ahead." Kimi corrected.

"Oh, so it's seven-thirty in the morning on Christmas eve?" Zack asked, making sure he understood her correctly.

Kimi nodded her head yes.

"Well, regardless, since we're very close to Christmas, and tomorrow, we'll be spending another day with your relatives, why don't we open our presents to each other tonight, since we did manage to bring them on the plane with us." Zack suggested, as he went over to one of the dresser drawers, and pulled out two small wrapped packages.

He handed a small box wrapped in blue paper to Kimi, while continuing to cradle the one wrapped in black and white striped paper from Kimi.

"You open yours first." Said Zack, as Kimi tore open her present, to reveal a pair of earrings with the Japanese yang symbol.

"Oh wow! The yang symble! Thank you Zachary!" Said Kimi, giving her husband a hug.

"You're welcome my little dumpling." Said Zack with a smile, as he tore open his present, to reveal a wrist watch with a gold band.

"Wow! It's that watch I saw at the jewelry store I've been admiring! Thank you!" Said Zack, as he put the watch on his wrist and showed it to Kimi.

"Oh, Zachary, you're welcome! And, it's beautiful!" Kimi exclaimed, glancing at the watch.

Zack stood back and smiled at his wife, as she scooted off the bed, and went over to the dresser mirror, to try on her new earrings. Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Zack continued to smile, as Kimi smiled at herself in the mirror.

"Oh, my daddy would love these." Kimi muttered to herself, as she frowned and turned away, looking down at the floor.

" _Maybe that wasn't the best gift to get her after all._ " Zack thought to himself, as his smile faded away, and he, too, looked down at the ground, not wanting Kimi to see his sad expression.

Just then, Chuckie, who was also staying with them, burst into the room, sweaty and out of breath.

"You ok Chuckie?" Zack asked, upon seeing him enter the hotel room, and flopping down on his bed on his side of the room.

"I'm, fine. Let's just say, sumo wrestling, takes a lot of energy out of a guy. I'm just thankful I had my enhailor on me, just in case." Chuckie replied in between gasps of air.

"I told you not to get serious with my uncle, jhe's a professional." Commented Kimi.

"I'll remember that." Chuckie muttered, as he stripped out of his clothes and made his way into the bathroom to take a shower.

At that point, Kimi removed her earrings and placed them back into the box, while Zack removed his wrist watch and did the same. Soon, the couple was all ready for bed, and they were snuggling up in bed together.

"Oh Kimi, I'm sorry if this Christmas had to be such a sad one." Said Zack, as he got comfortable on his side of the bed.

"It's ok Zachary. I'm just glad you and Chuckie could be here with me for this trip, as I know I couldn't have done it alone, and mom couldn't get any time off work to come, seeing she's having to fill in for Betty, who recently underwent back surgery, being unable to work at the Java Lava right now." Kimi replied.

Zack reached in and tightly embraced his wife, as they snuggled up together, and went to sleep.

The following day was uneventful, as they ate breakfast at a sushi bar, and Kimi spent the day going through her father's house, deciding what she wanted of his things. She picked out a few books, as well as a glass statue of a cow that she had sent him a couple of years ago for Christmas, and his favorite lamp that sat on his bedside table. She would have taken furniture, but with him living in Japan, and her living in America, she wasn't sure how things would travel overseas, so she talked her relatives into having a yard sale, or trading it at some local market for things they needed, and her uncle agreed to help with this after Christmas.

Zack spent the majority of his day, playing Go Fish with Chuckie, and staying out of the way, giving Kimi a chance to spend some time with her family that she never gets to see, but he didn't mind, because the worst of the trip was over, and Kimi was glad to have him there for moral support. And that was good enough for him.

And this, ends chapter 22.

Author's Note: As you can see, this chapter was sad, but short. I sort of did it as a nod to the fact that today is when we lost Christine Cavanaugh last year, but since this story is focused on Zack and Kimi, I decided to have it focus on a death in Kimi's family, since Kimi is Chuckie's sister, and Christine played the voice of Chuckie on the series. Also, this story parodies an event that happened in my family when I was little, only for me, it happened at Easter, the relative that died was my aunt, and the mother of my cousins, who were only 9 and 13 at the time of her death, and post the funeral, my family and I took the 9-year-old cousin to see The Fox and the Hound, which was a lovely movie, except at the very beginning, the fox's mother is shot, and the adults were wondering why on earth they went to see this movie, after the events that had recently taken place. And finally, the title of this chapter is a spoof on the title of a well known Christmas song, Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed it as best as you could, and I'll do my best, to make the final three chapters of this story, a bit more jolly.


	23. Babysitting a Princess

Author's Note: There's been an update made to my profile, explaining pet pieves of mine and what I will not tolerate, as well as rules I've set force when it comes to using other author's OC's, effective as of January 1, 2016. I also found out that while I'll be staying an extra day with my folks at Christmas, plans have changed, causing me to have some time freed up at New Years. In other words, I won't be staying with my folks this year at New Years, because sadly, my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew Zack won't be here to ring in the new year with me this year, but on a much happier note, I'll get to watch The Splat and see what it has in store to ring in the new year, I'll get to catch it Live! As sadly, I missed last year's Rugrats marathon to ring in the new year, and later, when I found out that's what aired, I was very disappointed I missed it. With that out of the way, let's get on, with the third to last chapter of this story.

Chapter 23, Babysitting a Princess

A year had passed since Hiro's death, and Zack and Kimi decided to spend a quiet Christmas at home. Little did they know though, that their Christmas would not be so quiet. While they were away the previous year, King Peter Albany of the Confederacy, and his wife of two years, Violet Cockrin, the queen of the Confederacy, gave birth to a baby girl last Christmas, who they named Princess Rosemary. She was a tiny thing, with two small locks of dark brown hair on the top of her head, and a very stubborn personality. Whenever she wanted something, she'd cry, and she wouldn't stop crying, until she got it.

Zack and Kimi were curling up on the couch, about to enjoy a movie, when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Said Zack, as he walked up to the door and to his surprise, he saw Peter and Violet standing there, carrying Rosemary.

"Peter! Violet! What a pleasant surprise!" Said Zack upon opening the door.

"This is kind of short notice, but Violet and I have been invited to a royal Christmas ball being held in our honor." Said Peter.

"And since Rosemary is too young to partake in such an activity, we were wondering if you and Kimi could watch her for the evening?" Violet asked.

Zack looked at the little bundle in Violet's arms, a bit skeptical, as he was really looking forward to a quiet evening alone with his wife, but he saw that this meant a lot to Peter and Violet, so he gritted his teeth and gave in.

"Sure! I'd be happy to look after little Rosemary for the evening." Said Zack with a smile, as Violet handed him the tiny princess, along with her diaper bag.

"Everything you'll need for her is in her diaper bag." Said Peter, as he and Violet left and headed off to their party.

Zack came back into the living room, where he sat down next to Kimi on the couch. She looked up to see Rosemary and the diaper bag in his arms.

"What's this all about?" Kimi asked.

"Looks like we'll be spending our Christmas eve babysitting royalty. Peter and Violet just stopped by and asked for us to babysit princess Rosemary." Said Zack, just as the young princess, who was asleep in his arms, awoke and started crying at the top of her lungs.

Kimi rolled her eyes at Zack.

"Ug! Now what are we suppose to do? If we don't take care of this princess Peter will have our heads!" Screamed Kimi in frustration.

"Now now Kimi, we've known Peter forever. He'd never hurt anyone. Now, everything we need for little Rosemary is in this diaper bag." Explained Zack, as he held up the diaper bag while handing the screaming Rosemary over to Kimi.

Kimi reluctantly took the screaming child out of Zack's arms, while he looked through the diaper bag to see what to try first. He came across a baby bottle.

"We have some milk, let's give her a bottle." Zack suggested, as he headed to the kitchen with the bottle, and filled it with some milk.

Then, he put the bottle into the microwave and heated it up, making the milk nice and warm for Rosemary. After it had a minute to cool, he carried it back into the living room, where Kimi fed Rosemary the bottle. While she sat with the little princess on the couch, Zack put on a CD of some Christmas music performed by various artists, and the couple sang along to the music, while Rosemary happily drank her milk.

"Zachary, is there anything for little Rosemary to play with?" Kimi asked.

"I don't know, I'll check her diaper bag though." Said Zack, as he looked through the diaper bag to find some toys.

He came across a ball, a raddle, some blocks, and a teasing ring.

"Let's play with the ball. We use to love playing with the ball when we were that age." Said Zack, as he got the pretty pink and blue striped ball out of the diaper bag, and Kimi gently set Rosemary down on the floor.

Rosemary crawled over to the ball, giggled and smiled, while Zack sat cross legged on the opposite side of the room on the floor.

"Ok Rosemary, now roll that ball to your old pal Zachary." Said Zack.

But rather than rolling the ball to Zack, she picked it up and threw it, hitting Zack in the head.

"Ow!" Zack exclaimed, as Rosemary sat on her bottom and giggled.

"That wasn't funny Rosemary." Snapped Zack.

"Oh now Zack, she's just a baby. Not all babies are as smart as you were at that age." Said Kimi, as she went through the rest of the items in the diaper bag, and got everything organized.

While Kimi went off to prepare dinner, Zack continued to keep Rosemary entertained. He read several books to her, including Chick-a-chick-a-boom-boom, and a personal favorite of his from when he was little, that he had still kept all of these years, The Caboose that Got Loose. While reading the Caboose book though, Rosemary started to cry, and wouldn't stop.

"Do you not like that one? Want me to read you Chick-a-chick-a-boom-boom again?" Zack asked, but it was no use, Rosemary continued to cry.

He then went through her diaper bag, and found a pacifier, so tried to stick it in her mouth, only for Rosemary to pull it out and throw it back at Zack, hitting him in the nose. Frustrated, he lay Rosemary on the floor, while he went off to the kitchen to get help from Kimi, who was stirring up the stew she had prepared for that night's dinner.

She turned to see her frustrated husband in the doorway.

"Something wrong dear?" Kimi asked.

"Yes, Rosemary won't be quiet!" Zack screamed in frustration.

"Ok, I'll come see what's up." Said Kimi with a sigh, as she and Zack returned to the living room, to be met with an unpleasant sight.

Rosemary had crawled over to the bookshelf, pulled all of the books off, and was chewing on one of them.

"Rosemary! No!" Kimi screamed, as she stormed up to the child, and snatched the book out of her mouth.

Rosemary started crying immediately, as she reached for another book on the floor. Zack quickly picked her up, while Kimi went around and picked up the books off of the floor and put them back on the shelves.

"Rosemary, we don't eat books." Zack scolded, as the little princess continued to cry.

"Zack, scolding a one-year-old or nearly one-year-old, isn't going to help." Said Kimi, after she finished putting away the books, and took Rosemary from Zack.

Upon picking her up, she noticed that the princess felt wet.

"Uh, Zachary, I think she needs a change. Let's take her to the bathroom and change her diapers and put her into some fresh clothes." Said Kimi, as she and Zack headed to the bathroom, where they lay the diaper pad on the counter, and got started.

No sooner had Kimi pulled off Rosemary's dirty diaper, when Zack fainted at the sight and smell of the poop.

"Ok little Rosemary, now hold still." Said Kimi, as she started to apply some powder to Rosemary's bottom.

But Rosemary made this job very difficult, as she proceeded to kick, squirm, and cry, making putting a diaper on to her nearly impossible. Kimi grumbled in frustration, as she struggled to put the diaper on to Rosemary.

By the time Zack was revised, Kimi had the diaper on her, but no clean clothes on her yet.

"Sorry, I see you got a fresh diaper on her though." Said Zack, looking at the squirming princess on the counter, who was about to fall off the edge.

Panicking, Zack ran over to the counter, and blocked the edge, stopping the princess from falling to the hard tile floor and possibly cracking her head open.

"Shew!" Zack said, letting out a sigh of relief.

Kimi came over, carrying a pair of white footsy pajamas with little pink bunnies on them that Peter and Violet had packed for Rosemary to sleep in.

"Ok Zack, can you help me put these on her?" Kimi asked.

"Sure. I'll hold her top half, while you put her legs in the pant legs." Said Zack, as he grabbed a firm grip on to Rosemary's torso.

The little princess continued to squirm, not wishing to stay still, but after about ten minutes of struggling, Kimi had her legs in the correct wholes, and Zack pulled the rest of the pajama piece up, getting her arms through the sleeves. Then, Kimi zipped up the front, while Zack buttoned the button at the collar, and before they knew it, they had her all dressed. After that, Kimi went back to the kitchen to finish up preparing everybody's dinner, while Zack and Rosemary returned to the living room to play.

Zack pulled out her blocks, and stacked them up, when Rosemary giggled, crawled over, and knocked them down. Then, he handed her the raddle to play with, only to have her shake it for a minute in her right hand, and throw it at Zack's head.

"If I wake up tomorrow with a dent in my head, it will be your falt Rosemary." Said Zack impatiently, as he was no longer finding her throwing game cute.

But likewise, the brounette princess found throwing things at Zack's head funny, and continued to laugh.

"Dinner's ready everyone." Kimi called from the kitchen, as Zack scooped up Rosemary, and they headed into the kitchen, where Kimi agreed to hold Rosemary at the table, since they didn't have a highchair available for her to sit in.

The adults had a vegetable beef stew that Kimi had made, while Rosemary had some baby food blueberries and spaghetti. Though she had more fun playing with her food, as she stuck her hands into the bowl of blueberries, and threw a handful at Zack's head, getting strained blueberries in his hair. So Kimi attempted to feed her the spaghetti, and she spit it out, getting spaghetti all over Kimi's clothes, and crying.

"Well if you'd eat the food, you wouldn't be hungry." Said Kimi, but it was no use.

Rosemary continued to cry to Zack and Kimi's dismay, giving the couple a terrible headache.

"Anything else you can try?" Zack asked, loud enough for Kimi to hear over Rosemary's whailing.

"Here, take her for a minute." Said Kimi, as she rushed off to the living room and returned a minute later with her teddy bear shaped teasing ring. However, she also returned to find that Rosemary was sucking on one of Zack's fingers.

"Well, your head may be covered in blueberries, but your finger is doing excellent tonight." Said Kimi.

"Yeah but I can't exactly eat my stew with my finger in Rosemary's mouth." Said Zack.

"No worries Zachary, I've got the cure." Said Kimi, as she handed the teasing ring to Rosemary.

But Rosemary threw it across the room, where it landed in the kitchen sink, and started to cry. Thinking fast, Zack put his finger back into Rosemary's mouth, calming her, which gave Kimi a brilliant idea.

"Well, since she prefers fingers to teasing rings, there's only one thing left to do." Said Kimi, as she placed a spare bib of Rosemary's on Zack's neck, wiped his head of blueberries clean with a rag, and started spoon feeding Zack his stew, like he were a little baby.

"Open up Zachary, here comes the choo-choo train." Said Kimi playfully, as she stuck the spoon into Zack's mouth, and he chewed it up and swallowed.

This routine continued until his bowl was empty, and growing uncomfortable, Zack decided to move to the living room, when Rosemary made another poop in her pants. They then took her to the bathroom, where they decided to give her a bath. Rosemary loved the water, as she splashed around in the tub, giggling, and blowing bubbles. Kimi got her clean, and soon, they had her back into another clean diaper and her pajamas.

At this point, Rosemary started to cry again, so Zack heated up her bottle, while Kimi found something to read to her. Realizing it was Christmas eve, she took Kimi to their spare closet, where a bunch of boxes were stashed away. She went through the boxes, until she found an old copy of Twas the Night Before Christmas, sat down on the couch, and while Zack fed Rosemary her bottle, Kimi read the book to her.

After Rosemary finished her bottle, she cried, so using up the last of their milk, Zack fed her one last bottle, hoping two bottles of warm milk, would help her drift off to sleep. Unfortunately, she only continued to cry, much to the couple's dismay.

"What do we do now? Rosemary won't go to sleep!" Zack cried in frustration.

"Why don't we sing her a lullaby." Kimi suggested, as she took the crying princess from Zack's arms, and started rocking her back and force.

 _Goodnight Rosemary, close your eyes._

 _Have sweet dreams, full of pride._

 _It's time for sleep, the day is done._

 _But when you awake, a new morning will come._

She and Zack took turns singing the lullaby three more times, until little Rosemary finally yawned, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Once she was asleep, Kimi sat down with the baby in her arms, as Zack leaned back against the couch, exhausted, about ready to pass out.

An hour later, the doorbell rang, and Zachary, exhausted, went to answer the door to find Violet standing there.

"Hello Violet." Said Zack in a low tone of voice.

"Hi Zachary." Said Violet, as she came inside and collected Rosemary's things.

"How did it go?" Violet asked.

"Well, she didn't eat her supper, but she had three bottles of hot milk, loves teasing on my fingers, and if there was a reason for inventing Exsedrin, the headache medicine, it was for babies like her, who fail to come with an off switch to stop them from crying, giving the poor parents, a massive migraine." Said Zack.

Violet chuckled, as she took Rosemary from Kimi's arms.

"Oh, I know. This little princess can be a handful, and she likes chewing on Peter's fingers too, but she's adorable, and one day, will become a queen that will make us all very proud." Said Violet with a smile, as she walked out the door with her sleeping daughter in her arms.

She turned towards Kimi and Zack before stepping over the threshold.

"Thank you, and Merry Christmas." Whispered Violet with a smile.

"Merry Christmas." Said Zack and Kimi in unison, as Violet stepped outside, and they closed the door behind her.

They then looked into the kitchen, and saw that the dishes from dinner still hadn't been cleaned up, but with how exhausted they were, Kimi put some soap and water in the sink for them to soak, and the exhausted couple headed off to bed, where they plopped down on the pillows, not even bothering to undress into their pajamas.

"Are you sure you want kids after tonight? That, was exhausting!" Cried Kimi sleepily, as she lay her head against the pillows and closed her eyes.

"Oh I don't know, the princess really likes me. I think, we'll make fine parents some day, when it happens for us." Said Zack, as he let out a yawn.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Whispered Zack, as he drifted off to sleep.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Replied Kimi in a low whisper, as she too, drifted off to sleep.

And this, ends chapter 23. So, what will happen next time? Find out tomorrow, when I release the final two chapters of this story.

Author's Note: Just to let everybody know who's reading this, I own the OC's of Violet and Rosemary, while as stated back at the start of the story, Peter is owned by TCKing12. I was also the one to come up with the lyrics for the lullaby I had Zack and Kimi sing to Rosemary near the end of the chapter. Hope you all enjoyed that chapter, and, more will be coming soon.


	24. Longing for Children

Chapter 24, Longing for Children

Another year had passed, and a lot had happened within that time with their local friends. As far as Chuckie and Nicole were concerned, they had gotten married back in 2035, as Zack was one of the best men in the wedding, and Kimi was one of the bride's maids, and come Christmas of 2036, they were blessed with a baby girl named Melenda Kira Finster, who was named after both, her living and deceased grandmother on her father's side. Her name however was spelled differently, because the hospital made a mistake on her birth certificate, and because her parents never got around to getting this fixed, as a result of being too busy with work, the new spelling stuck.

But while the Finsters were growing as a family, the Pickles would soon be getting a little bit larger too. Over the course of this past year, Tommy had happily married Silvia Weller, both of them finished college, and they were happily working at their chosen career paths. Silvia was a radio announcer for the local radio station, WUPE Radio, while Tommy was a staff writer at the Berkshire Eagle, the local newspaper. But at that year's Christmas party, they would have an even bigger surprise to share with the gang, and they were pleased to learn that Peter, Violet, and their now two-year-old daughter, princess Rosemary, would be throwing the party at their castle. Come Christmas eve of 2036, everybody gathered at Peter's castle for a party of food, music, and good time with friends. And to everyone's pleasant surprise, Zack and Kimi made it to the party this year. They were pleased to show up, as they hadn't had a chance to meet their new niece yet, but since they arrived after Chuckie and Nicole, they had their chance.

"Merry Christmas." Said Kimi, as she walked into Peter's living room and took a seat on the couch next to her sister-in-law.

"Merry Christmas Kimi." Nicole replied with a smile.

Kimi looked down at the little bundle of joy in Nicole's arms. The nearly two-months-old baby girl had a few strands of brown hair on her head, resembling a look similar to what she imagined her mother to have looked like at that age, and she was sucking on a blue pacifier and covered in a soft pink blanket.

"Awe, is that Melenda?" Kimi asked.

"It sure is, would you like to hold your niece?" Nicole asked.

"I'd love to!" Kimi replied excitedly.

"Melenda, sweetie, this is your aunt Kimi." Said Nicole, as she handed the baby over to her aunt, who gently cradled her in her arms.

Melenda opened her eyes and smiled up at her aunt.

"Hi Melenda." Said Kimi in a soft, soothing tone, as she gently rocked her niece in her arms.

At that moment, Zack and Chuckie walked over carrying plates of cookies and cups of punch, as they took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"So, Zack, are we ready for the gift exchange yet?" Kimi asked.

"We can't exchange gifts yet Kimi, Tommy and Silvia aren't here yet." Chuckie remarked.

"Yeah, and I hear they have a big surprise for us." Added Zack.

Kimi couldn't help but wonder what it could be. Everybody had been so busy, that this was the first time anybody had seen Tommy and Silvia since their wedding. Before anybody else could say another word, the two-year-old princess, who now had a head full of dark brown hair, pulled back into two braids, done up with gray ribbons, to match the gray Confederate uniform that she wore identical to that of her parents, bounded in the room, eager to sneak some cookies for herself. When Zack and Chuckie weren't looking, she snuck over to Chuckie's plate, and snuck away a reindeer shaped sugar cookie for herself, but as soon as she snuck it off, she accidentally bumped into the cup of punch, he had balanced on his knee, knocking it over, causing the contents of the cup to land on Melenda, who was happily resting in her aunt's lap, until she was covered in punch, causing her to start crying.

"Oh dear!" Kimi exclaimed, as she looked down and saw the mess.

Everybody looked over at Rosemary, who was in the middle of the floor, happily eating a cookie, as unknown by anybody, she meant to knock that cup on to Melenda, as she felt ignored and neglected, with everybody paying attention to the new baby. However, she then looked up at the other adults, who didn't look pleased. At the sound of Melenda's crying, Violet and Peter rushed into the room.

"What happened here?" Violet asked.

"Your daughter knocked my punch on to my daughter." Chuckie replied, frustrated.

Violet turned to her daughter, knelt down to her position, and looked her straight in the eye.

"Rosemary, you need to be more careful, all right?" Scolded Violet.

"Sorry." Rosemary managed to say, as she was only able to say a few words to the adults at this time.

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to our good friends. You do want Santa Clause to bring you presents this Christmas, don't you?" Violet asked.

Rosemary nodded with an innocent smile, but as soon as her mother wasn't looking, Rosemary snuck over to the Christmas tree, and plucked off a candy cane.

While Rosemary was happily enjoying her candy cane, and Violet helped Nicole get her baby cleaned up, Tommy and Silvia had arrived at the party. Peter let them in and escorted them into the living room, where all of the action was happening. They lay the present they brought for Rosemary under the tree, and stood before their friends on the couch, with a huge announcement. However, before anybody could speak, another knock was heard at the door. Violet went to answer it this time, to find two people she hadn't seen since her and Peter's wedding, Susie Carmichael, and Sean Butler.

"Oh my goodness! Susie and Sean! What a pleasant surprise!" Exclaimed Violet.

"We were suppose to go to England for Christmas, but our flight was canceled, so we decided to come to the party." Said Susie.

"Please, come in, come in." Said Violet, as she led Susie and Sean into the living room.

This would soon, result in two special surprises. Upon their arrival, Tommy and Silvia decided to take a seat and catch up with everybody, as nobody had seen Susie or Sean in years. While catching up, they found out that Susie was now a chorus director at a local high school called Pleasant Valley, and Sean Butler was the band director there. Then, came the first surprise of the evening, not just for everyone in the room, but to Susie too. After everyone had their share of snacks, Sean got off the couch, and knelt on the floor in front of Susie, pulling a small jewelry box out of his pocket. He looked into Susie's eyes, and asked that all important question.

"Susie? Honey? Will you marry me?" Sean asked.

Susie thought about it for a minute, while coming up with her answer. They had been together for a couple of years, and had recently gotten an apartment together, and it was something she had always dreamed of. While she took her time thinking, little did she know she'd have an audience cheering her on.

"Say yes! Say yes!" Zack chanted.

Everybody else in the room joined in chanting, "Say yes."

The chanting went on repeatedly, until Susie put her hand up to silence everyone, and give her response.

"Yes, yes Sean, I wanna marry you." Said Susie, as Sean revealed a beautiful engagement ring with a pink stone on it, and placed it on to Susie's finger.

As the two of them shared a kiss, everybody clapped and cheered for the soon to be married couple, and this was as good as any of a time, for Tommy and Silvia to make their big announcement.

"Everybody, my wife and I have an announcement." Said Tommy, as he stood before his friends in the living room, over near the Christmas tree.

Silvia joined him, though it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the big announcement was, as her belly looked slightly larger than it was the last time anybody saw her.

"Everyone, Tommy and I are going to have a baby." Announced Silvia.

"How long have you been pregnant?" Kimi asked.

"Three months." Silvia replied.

"What's the due date?" Zack asked.

"July 27, 2037." Silvia replied.

"Do you guys know if it's going to be a boy or a girl yet?" Zack asked.

Kimi then whispered something into his ear, correcting him, as she had some advice she had learned from nursing school to pass along.

"Uh, Zack, sweetie, they won't be able to tell the gendar for another couple of months." Kimi whispered.

"Oh." Zack said disappointingly.

"Well we don't knhow yet, but if it's going to be a girl, we want to name her Trixi Amilia Pickles, after my deceased biological grandmother on my father's side, and one of Silvia's great aunts." Said Tommy.

"And if it's a boy, we're naming him Darin Milton Pickles, a name that I always personally liked where Darin is concerned, and Milton, the name of Tommy's first baby brother." Said Silvia.

Nicole, Zack and Kimi stared at the couple in confusion.

"Uh, maybe I'd better explain this one, since I was actually the one to come up with the name Milton. Back when we were really little, Angelica told all of us that babies came from stork eggs, and that storks were big ugly birds with feathers. This happened before Dil was born, so naturally, it was before either one of us had real siblings, or knew Zack, Nicole, and Sean, though we did know Susie at this time, and I believe we saw her later that day. Peter was busy helping our daddies cook some big dinner, but he found out soon enough as well. Anyway, we found ourselves an egg in Tommy's backyard, and raised it as our own, and I suggested we name him Milton. Though once the baby hatched, we discovered it was a baby stork, not a baby person, so we let him go, and waited till the day when Tommy got his real little brother, who you all know is Dil, our weird friend who's still down in Sara Sota, Florida, probably ringing up customers' last few gifts for the holidays at Radioshack." Explained Chuckie.

"Wow, now that makes perfect sense! Congratulations Tommy and Silvia." Said Zack, as he leaped off the couch, and gave his best guy friend and wife a huge hug.

However, while all of the celebrating was going on, Kimi looked away, as tears came to her eyes. She felt so left out, with Peter and Violet being parents for two years now, Chuckie and Nicole as parents, and soon, Tommy and Silvia would have a baby of their own, she felt, left out, and at that moment, she'd do anything to have a child. And while Susie and Sean didn't have a baby yet, they were only engaged at this point, thus, they didn't count where Kimi was concerned.

As the party continued on, gifts were exchanged, pictures were taken, and the usual activity that one would expect at a Christmas party commenced, Zack couldn't help but notice his wife was very quiet, and started to grow very concerned. After the party was over, once they were in their car driving home, Zack spoke up.

"Is everything ok Kimi? You seemed a bit, distracted post receiving the news of Tommy and Silvia's new baby." Zack asked out of concern.

At that moment, Kimi broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

"Oh Zachary, it's just, not fair! We've been married for nearly four years now, and we still don't have a little baby of our own." Kimi wined.

"Now Kimi, don't cry, God will bring us our own little bundle of joy in time." Said Zack reassuringly, as he stopped at a red light, and gently tapped Kimi on the shoulder.

"But what if he doesn't? What if it's just, us, forever? I'd love for little Melenda to have a cousin to play with." Said Kimi.

"Tell you what. If by our fifth wedding anniversary, you still haven't been able to get pregnant, we'll look into adopting a child." Said Zack.

"You mean it Zachary?" Kimi asked.

"Of course. I mean, deep down, does it really matter how we obtain our offspring? If we can't create one ourselves, why not give a child a home who doesn't have parents. After all, Christmas doesn't just come once a year, it comes everyday when you think about it." Said Zack.

Kimi pondered this thought, as they sat there quietly, driving the rest of the way home. Once they got home and headed inside to turn in for the night, Kimi, still a bit confused by what Zack had said to her earlier, turned to him.

"Zachary, what do you mean, Christmas is here, every day?" Kimi asked.

"Well, haven't you figured out that Christmas isn't just about Christmas trees, holly and presents? It's about giving to others less fortunate than us. It's about being together as a family. It's about, well, it's a feeling. And when you reach out to others and help them, you're spreading the spirit of Christmas, no matter what day it is." Explained Zack.

Kimi looked at her husband and smiled, realizing, he was right.

"You're right Zachary, I don't know what I was thinking. That's an excellent idea, but let's keep trying for the next year to produce on our own, please?" Kimi begged.

"Tell you what, it's only eleven-thirty at night, and we're home, alone, let's start right now." Said Zack, as he stripped down to nothing, while Kimi did the same.

Soon, they were in bed, on top of each other, about to get started.

"Merry Christmas Zachary." Kimi whispered.

"Merry Christmas, my little dumpling." Whispered Zack, as he started to gently kiss her neck, sending chills down Kimi's spine.

And this, ends chapter 24. So, will this lovely couple finally get what they've been wanting? Find out, in the last and final chapter of this story, which should be posted shortly.

Author's Note: References to my story, The Reunion of Tommy and Silvia, and to the season 3 Rugrats episode, The Stork, were made in this chapter. And ordinarily, I should wait until tomorrow to release the final chapter of this story, but since I won't be able to release it tomorrow, because I'll be without a way to do so, being iPhone bound at my folks place for the holidays, I'm going to release it, a day early, so be looking for the climax of this story, very soon.


	25. The Christmas Miracle

Chapter 25, The Christmas Miracle

Another year had passed, and things had really blossomed with their friends. Rosemary Albany was now three-years-old, and saying more to the adults. Melenda, Chuckie and Nicole's daughter was a year old, and just starting to take her first steps. And let's not forget the newest baby to the gang, the first born son of Tommy and Silvia Pickles, little Darin Milton Pickles. He was five-months-old, and just starting to sit up. But little did anybody know that more surprises would soon be coming.

Just a few days shy of Christmas, Kimi was noticing she was feeling funny, so she took a visit to her doctor, and found out the news that she was pregnant. Overjoyed by this news, she couldn't wait to tell her husband, but with Christmas around the corner, she sort of wanted to surprise him. Meanwhile, Zack was worried, as it was getting near their fifth wedding anniversary, and as far as he knew, his wife had still not managed to get pregnant yet. Looking through photographs taken at the past twenty-five Christmases they had known one another, Zack decided to make what he could call, a Christmas collage, that he'd have laminated, and after he gave it to Kimi, they could place it on their bedroom wall, to remember the first twenty-five Christmases they had been together.

Finally, it came time for Christmas eve. Kimi wasn't feeling all that wonderful, so they decided to skip going to the party this year. Though truthfully, Kimi wanted to be alone with her husband when she first told him the news. The following day, on the morning of Christmas, Zack made Kimi breakfast in bed, with all of her favorite foods, including a bowl of Dummi Bear Sugar Lumps, and brought it into the bedroom, along with the large poster that was the Christmas collage.

"Merry Christmas little dumpling." Said Zack, as he lay the tray of breakfast food down on the bed, and handed his wife her special gift.

Kimi studied the poster and saw what Zack had done.

"Oh my goodness! You made this? For me?" Kimi asked.

"I sure did. Look, here's one picture from each year we've known one another, taken on, or around that particular Christmas." Explained Zack, as the couple studied the collage together.

It had everything. The picture of them kissing under the mitheltoe as toddlers, the picture of them, both with Chicken Pox, curled up asleep together on Kimi's couch the following year, the next picture was one taken of Zack and Kimi when Kimi had dropped hby to cheer up Zack and his aunt, who was sick with the flu that Christmas, then, there was a picture taken at their forth Christmas, when everybody was on the couch together at Zack's aunt's house, about to watch their traditional Christmas movie together that year on DVD. Next was separate pictures, one of Zack in Wheeling and one of Kimi back in California at the Christmas concert at the Java Lava that raised money for their elementary school's security system after the bomb threat. Since neither one of them could be together that Christmas, Zack placed two pictures to signify this fact, but that deep down, they were always together, even if it was only in spirit. The next picture was taken the following year at the Christmas eve service, with Zack and Kimi holding the turtle doves that Zack had given to Kimi, explaining the legend to her, and the picture after that, was of Zack and Kimi, curled up on the couch at the Deville's house, Kimi, wearing a huge bandage on her knee, recalling the scrape she had received that year post caroling, that Zack nicely helped clean up. Next up, was a picture of them making gingerbread men cookies together at the Advent Workshop, and after that, was a picture that somebody had taken, of them throwing snowballs at one another outside of school on the night of their Christmas concert, at what ended up being their final Christmas together for the next five years. The next ten pictures, were school photos that Zack and Kimi managed to send to one another while Zack was living away in Wheeling, and it was when looking at these, that Kimi noticed how much she changed over that time, from a young girl, into a beautiful teenage woman. Zack recalls noticing that too, and remarked that it was partially that detail that made him become more attracted to her.

The rest of the pictures on the collage, were taken post Zack's return from Wheeling, when they were more or less, together every year, even if some of their Christmases were short changed, because of other happenings going on. There was a picture of them together, wearing the promise rings they had given to one another, taken by Peter at the cabin they had rented in the mountains, a picture of Zack dressed as Santa Clause, with Kimi by his side, being reminded of the fight they had that Christmas their senior year in high school, when Zack dressed as Santa Clause to get Kimi's attention, because she had been giving him the silent treatment after their fight, followed by several pictures of Christmases they spent together while in college. A picture of them on the broken down T train trying to get home for the holidays, a picture of them at the hospital, the year Kimi held an internship, holding the new baby they had helped deliver, and a picture of them taken the following year by Zack's aunt, when she came up to visit. They had a good laugh over this one, as with Celeste being blind, she cut off part of Zack's head, making him look kind of funny.

Then, they were down to the last few years they were together. There was their wedding picture of them cutting the cake at the reception, which was as good as any, since it was still technically Christmas when it was taken, a picture of them in Japan attending Hiro's funeral, this one was taken by Chuckie on Christmas day while they were at Hiro's house, going through his old things, then it hit Kimi that she had skipped over one, as that was taken the second Christmas post getting married. Realizing this, she skimmed further over, to see the picture taken by Dil after pranking them with woopy cushions when they went to Florida for a visit, and to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary. Then, she saw a picture taken two years ago by Peter and Violet, of Zack and Kimi holding Rosemary, recalling their first babysitting experience together, and what an exhausting night it was, and finally, in the bottom left hand corner of the poster, was a picture taken of everybody last Christmas, right after Silvia had delivered the news that she was pregnant.

Seeing this, Kimi couldn't help herself, as tears of joy started to come to her eyes.

"So, what do you think? Do you like it?" Zack asked.

"Oh Zachary, I love it! And seeing last year's picture just reminded me of something." Kimi replied.

"What?" Zack asked.

"Zack, I have a very special gift for you this year, but, it won't be here for several more months." Said Kimi, as she rubbed her lower abdomen area.

As Zack saw her rubbing that particular spot, he figured he had an idea as to what Kimi was talking about, but before jumping with joy, he waited for Kimi to deliver her news.

"Honey, remember how I was experiencing some weird feelings, and skipped my monthly cycle?" Kimi asked.

"Yes honey I remember." Zack replied.

"Well, we did it. We're gonna have a baby." Announced Kimi.

Zack was speechless, as he reached in on to the bed, and gave his wife a huge hug.

"Oh, thank you honey." Said Zack.

"No, thank you. We made this gift together. And if it weren't for you continuing to encourage me and helping me to never lose hope, we couldn't have done this. Thanks to our long term love and dedication, we finally will be getting something we've always wanted, a little bundle of joy of our very own, and just think, next Christmas, we'll have a new baby to show off at the party." Said Kimi.

"Uh huh, though I also have to partially thank Angelica. I now realize that maybe she's not always such a big old lying, promising breaking snob after all." Said Zack.

"What do you mean Zachary?" Kimi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, back when we were little, and she made us kiss under the mitheltoe, she told us that if we did that, we'd be together forever. And look at what happened? We ended up together, for the last twenty-five years. And before you say there were a few years we were apart, we were never apart. I mean sure, maybe we were apart physically, but we were never apart in spirit." Explained Zack.

"You're right. Even when we couldn't be together, we either spoke to one another, texted one another, or sent one another letters to tell how we were doing." Commented Kimi.

"And thanks to our life long friendship, we're about to bring a new baby to call our child and friend into the world, or as I like to call it, our very own, Christmas miracle." Said Zack.

"But Zachary, the baby will most likely not come until next summer or fall." Said Kimi.

"I know, but it got created around Christmas time, and so, I declare our new child, our little Christmas miracle." Said Zack, as he leaned his head down to Kimi's stomach.

""Merry Christmas little one, daddy loves you." Said Zack, as Zack gently kissed Kimi's abdomen, and Kimi just stared down at her husband, smiling, as tears of joy, filled her eyes.

Later on that day, as they were getting ready for bed, Zack reached into the drawer to pull out his pajama t-shirt, when he came across two little boxes. One was a purple heart shaped one, and the other, was a small square shaped white box. He opened the boxes and saw a turtle dove inside each one. Just then, Kimi walked up behind him and saw what he was doing.

"What are you doing?" Kimi asked.

"Oh just looking at another piece of proof that kept us together. Remember the legend of the turtle doves?" Zack asked.

"Mmmm hmmm." Said Kimi, as she nodded.

"Well, we kept them, and look at us, we're still together." Said Zack.

"You know what, you're right. I guess that makes us, friends, to the end." Said Kimi.

"It sure does. Merry Christmas, my little dumpling." Said Zack.

"You know, when the baby is born, you'll have to think of a new nickname for me, as I won't be the littlest dumpling around here anymore." Kimi said with a giggle.

Zack chuckled.

"You're right sweetie, but we'll worry about that, when the time comes." Said Zack.

"Awe, you big sentimental lug. Merry Christmas Zachary." Said Kimi, as Zack closed the door, turned to his wife, and the two of them, shared a kiss.

When they stepped back, they looked up to see that some mitheltoe was strung above them.

"Wait a minute, who decorated the bedroom?" Zack asked.

"I did, the day I found out I was pregnant." Kimi replied.

"I guess this means it's official, we've kissed beneath it twice, guess that makes us soul mates." Said Zack.

"It sure does." Replied Kimi, as she took her husband's hand, and they headed into the living room, where they sat down on the couch.

"Wait a second Kimi, I thought we were going to bed." Said Zack.

"Not yet. Come on, for old time sake?" Kimi begged, as she pointed the remote to the DVD player and started up the Reptar DVD they watched together the Christmas they had Chicken Pox.

"Oh all right, for old time sakes, we'll watch the Reptar Christmas movie." Said Zack with a smile, as they snuggled together on the couch, and enjoyed the movie.

And just as before, they were asleep by the movie's end, only it was two adults on the verge of becoming parents asleep on that couch, opposed to two toddlers with the Chicken Pox. No matter, they couldn't be anymore happier than they were that Christmas, and they fell asleep that night, with dreams of looking forward to many joyous Christmases ahead.

And this, ends the story, of Zack and Kimi's Christmas Collage.

Author's Note: I do hope you all enjoyed this story. Don't know if I'll ever do anything like this again, unless somebody other than TCKing12 or Boris Yeltsin requests I do another story next December with another pairing's Christmases together, and I say that, as I'm trying to encourage people who don't talk as much, to speak up a little bit more, but while at points, I found it impossible to release a chapter each day, and suffered from Writer's Block quite a bit while writing this story, I finally made it, to the very end. I did have a lot of fun putting it together, and I'd like to thank everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. It's fans like you, that keep me going. Happy holidays everybody, may the spirit of Christmas, be upon you this upcoming Christmas day.


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